Ukraine unilaterally handed over to Russian Federation all severely wounded prisoners whose condition permitted transportation, - Coordination Headquarters. PHOTOS
Ukraine carried out a humanitarian action and handed over to Russia all the seriously wounded occupiers whose condition allowed transportation, captured since the beginning of the large-scale invasion.
As Censor.NET reports, this was announced by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
"According to international obligations, by Articles 109-114 of the Geneva Conventions and with the participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Ukraine unilaterally transferred the seriously wounded and seriously ill captives of the occupiers to the Russian side. In this case, it is not about the exchange of prisoners of war, but rather about repatriation: the return of severely wounded prisoners without any conditions, as stipulated by international humanitarian law," the message reads.
As noted, at the same time, the aggressor state, systematically disregarding international norms, is still holding thousands of Ukrainian citizens hostage, including the seriously ill and wounded, civilians, children and women, the elderly, as well as those who were captured by Russia even before the start of the large-scale invasion. All these categories of citizens, according to international humanitarian law, should be returned to Ukraine by repatriation without any conditions. Despite this, Russia not only continues to hold civilians and non-combatants hostage but also refuses to allow representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross into their places of detention, does not provide them with contact with relatives, proper nutrition, medical care, deliberately creating inhumane conditions of captivity.
"Ukraine calls on the world community to increase pressure on the aggressor state to force Russia to comply with international humanitarian law and release from captivity all illegally detained Ukrainian citizens," the Headquarters added.
According to international humanitarian law, seriously wounded prisoners cannot be exchanged but must be repatriated without any conditions.
"Ukraine complies with international law and the Geneva Conventions, demonstrating to the whole world that we are a civilized state, unlike an aggressor state," the Coordination Headquarters concluded.
