About 40% of those returned from captivity are those who were considered missing - Lubinets
About 40% of those returned from captivity are persons who had the status of missing under special circumstances and were not confirmed by the ICRC.
This was announced by the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, Censor.NET reports.
"Today I held a big meeting with relatives of prisoners of war and missing defenders of Ukraine. About three hundred relatives came to hear answers to their questions. They were also answered by representatives of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Joint Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine, the Pension Fund, the Department of Social Security of the Ministry of Defence, the National Police, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," Lubinets said.
Details of the meeting
Officials answered questions about the repatriation of bodies, the interaction of government agencies regarding DNA examinations and payments to the families of fallen defenders.
"Relatives were interested in the specifics of the search for missing persons. I stressed that for us there is no legal distinction between them and those who have the status of prisoners of war: about 40% of those returned from captivity are persons who had the status of missing under special circumstances and were not confirmed by the ICRC," the Ombudsman said.
"Every day we make every effort to return each and every one of them! Let's not forget that the aggressor violates the laws and customs of war, the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law," Lubinets said.
As a reminder, on 13 and 14 September, Ukraine and Russia exchanged prisoners of war. A total of 152 people returned home.
