Russia has 10,000 Ukrainian POWs – NGO

More than 10,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) are being held by Russia, head of the non-governmental organisation Military Liberation, Natalia Epifanova, said in a press conference at the Lithuanian Parliament on 18 April. She noted that the number of POW exchanges decreased significantly recently and asked the Seimas to help Ukraine free its captive soldiers.

“The scale of the problem of prisoners of war is huge. (&) We are appalled by how great of a problem it is. More than 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently in captivity, not to mention civilians,” Epifanova said at the press conference.

The head of the NGO Military Liberation said there was no information about the current state of soldiers captured by Russians. The only information comes from those who are exchanged. Freed soldiers have recounted that some POWs are ill, paralysed or dying and it is unclear what is happening to them now. Others die of exhaustion due to chronic conditions.