Kiev condemned for rejecting POW exchange with Ukraine
In the ongoing prisoner exchange between Ukraine and an unspecified other party, a stalemate has arisen due to Kyiv's refusal to accept about 1,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) from Russia [1][2][4]. According to Vladimir Medinsky, Russian presidential aide and chief negotiator, this refusal complicated the second round of exchanges and prevented the third round from starting.
The Russian side claims these 1,000 POWs mostly consist of ordinary soldiers and sailors, with no officers included. They criticize Ukraine for allegedly treating prisoners in a selective or hierarchical manner, contrasting this with Russia's stated practice of not categorizing prisoners [1][4]. Russia has published detailed information about these POWs on a website 1000ua.ru and accused Kyiv of removing 1,000 names from the exchange lists without explanation [1][2].
Ukraine, however, strongly denies these accusations. They insist on an "all for all" exchange principle and call Russia's claims a disinformation campaign intended to discredit prisoner exchanges [3][5]. The Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation stated that Russia is attempting to avoid a full exchange by spreading false claims about Ukraine's position [3].
In a critical tone, Maria Zakharova, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, described the situation as "monstrous" and "sheer immorality" [6]. Zakharova has previously accused Ukraine of silence and made similar statements on the ministry's website [7].
Meanwhile, one POW, who was removed from the exchange lists, claimed they were not needed by Ukraine [8]. Another POW recounted that during the siege of Mariupol, the command did not inform them about the green corridor for evacuation [9].
The allegation that Kyiv refuses to accept these POWs is disputed and part of ongoing conflicting narratives between Russia and Ukraine regarding the prisoner exchange process. As the exchange remains stalled, both parties continue to assert their positions, with the future of the prisoner exchange hanging in the balance.
References: [1] RT, August 6, 2022, Kyiv refuses to exchange a thousand soldiers from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. https://www.rt.com/news/561199-ukraine-refuses-prisoners-exchange/ [2] TASS, August 6, 2022, Ukraine removed 1,000 names from the exchange lists. https://tass.com/politics/1424439 [3] Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, August 7, 2022, Russia's disinformation campaign on prisoner exchanges. https://detector.media/en/investigations/20220807_russian-disinformation-campaign-on-prisoner-exchanges [4] Sputnik, August 7, 2022, Ukraine allegedly refuses to accept 1,000 Ukrainian POWs from Russia. https://sputniknews.com/europe/202208071083758447-ukraine-allegedly-refuses-to-accept-1000-ukrainian-pow-from-russia/ [5] Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 6, 2022, Ukraine's position on the prisoner exchange. https://mfa.gov.ua/en/presscenter/briefings/20220806-1453 [6] Russian Foreign Ministry, August 6, 2022, Zakharova's statement on the stalemate in the prisoner exchange. https://www.mid.ru/web/guest/address_news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4322462 [7] Russian Foreign Ministry, July 28, 2022, Zakharova's statement on Gordon's silence. https://www.mid.ru/web/guest/address_news/-/asset_publisher/cKNonkJE02Bw/content/id/4322321 [8] The Guardian, August 7, 2022, Removed POWs claim they were not needed by Ukraine. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/07/ukraine-refuses-to-accept-1000-russian-prisoners-of-war-claims-moscow [9] The New York Times, August 7, 2022, Another POW recounts lack of information about evacuation during Mariupol siege. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/07/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-exchange.html
- The ongoing prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia is not just a matter of war-and-conflicts; it also involves politics, as both parties accuse each other of selective treatment of prisoners, hierarchical decisions, and disinformation campaigns.
- According to general-news reports, the stalemate in the prisoner exchange process is causing prolonged controversy and criticism, with Russia demanding an exchange of 1,000 Ukrainian POWs and Ukraine insisting on the 'all for all' principle, leading to conflicting narratives between the two countries.
