What happened?
On March 24, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine presented a report on the treatment of prisoners of war. The head of the mission, Matilda Bogner, held both sides responsible for the violations. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets presented a photo from a prisoner of war camp for Russians in Ukraine in response to the UN report. He emphasized that Ukraine adheres to the Geneva Conventions and international law.
Lubinets was surprised that during several personal meetings with Bogner and the UN system coordinator in Ukraine, Deniz Brown, they never once raised the issue of the treatment of Russian prisoners of war. Lubinets also said that he would like to hear indisputable facts and arguments on which the UN mission’s conclusions about possible violations by Ukraine are based.
Today, Lubinets reported on the results of a recent monitoring visit by officials from the Office of the authorized person to the prisoner of war camp. The conditions of detention of Russians, food, medical care, and compliance with other rights guaranteed by the Geneva Conventions were checked.
“It was established that the Russian prisoners of war are being held in accordance with the requirements of the Geneva Convention… The temperature regime in the premises and the daily routine meet all the requirements of the convention. The prisoners of war have the right to communicate with their relatives through periodic (alternating) phone calls and also have the right to work. The food is provided according to the general military ration,” the ombudsman emphasized.
He noted that the medical care of prisoners of war is also at a high level. There is a dental office, a fluorographic apparatus, and an ultrasound machine.
“In their free time, prisoners of war have the opportunity to watch the news or play football on the camp’s territory,” Lubinets said.
According to him, the UN report published information about negative aspects of holding Russian soldiers in captivity, but positive ones were not outlined. “Ukrainian prisoners of war are not even provided with the basic right to communicate with their families for a long time,” added the ombudsman.
Previously
On March 16, Eric Mose, the head of the UN-supported commission on events in Ukraine, stated that he has not found evidence of genocide while investigating human rights violations in the Russian-Ukrainian war. At the same time, since the war started there were no audits, checks or revisions by the UN, Red Cross or any independent organization for the Ukrainian prisoners of war detention conditions in Russia or Ukrainian territorry occupied by Russia.
