[ad_1]
Some are wounded, most are very younger and all wish to go house. President Volodymyr Zelensky calls Russian troopers captured within the lightning offensive into the Kursk area, Ukraine’s “change fund”.
He hopes the prisoners of battle taken within the shock push that caught Russia off guard will be shortly exchanged for a few of the 6,500 or so Ukrainian troopers that Moscow says it holds.
“This operation has turn into our largest funding within the means of releasing Ukrainians from Russian captivity,” Zelensky stated final week.
“We’ve already captured the biggest variety of Russian prisoners in a single operation.”
Ukraine has stated massive numbers of Russian servicemen — reportedly within the a whole lot — gave themselves up through the offensive that started on August 6.
AFP requested for entry to a few of the POWs being held simply throughout the border in Ukraine’s Sumy area.
Although Ukrainian guards had been standing close by, the prisoners didn’t seem like speaking underneath duress.
One 22-year-old Russian POW — a conscript — stated he and others had been “merely deserted by our command” when Ukrainian troops appeared.
“Every part was regular, all the things was high quality. After which this surprising second turned all the things the wrong way up,” he stated, sitting on a bunk in his cell.
“It was surprising,” he repeated.
The younger man, who wore checked trousers and plastic slippers, stated his hope was “to be exchanged and return house — again house to my household”.
One other detainee, a 42-year-old border guard with a bandaged leg, stated he was captured on the primary day of the offensive.
“There was an entire encirclement and there have been no alternatives to interrupt via. So the choice was made to give up,” he stated.
“I hope that they are going to change me and I’ll return house. My largest hope is that, in fact,” he stated.
The Ukrainian offensive caught Russia off guard.
Kyiv stated 1000’s of its troops took half within the incursion, which comes two and a half years after the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
– ‘Unusual individuals –
The deputy head of the detention facility advised AFP that “very massive numbers” of Russian POWs have been captured to date, with out giving a exact determine.
The POWs had initially been “afraid of all the things”, he stated, however “got here to life” after a few days after they noticed that they had been being nicely handled.
“On the battlefield they’re hated troopers and when they’re captured they turn into unusual individuals,” stated the guard, who gave his title as Volodymyr.
Ukrainian officers haven’t given a exact variety of prisoners of battle captured however have stated many had been younger conscripts captured within the chaotic first days of the incursion.
Officers say 3,000 Ukrainian troopers have been repatriated because the begin of the battle however “1000’s” are nonetheless in Russian captivity.
At a gathering with overseas media together with AFP in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Russia had 6,465 Ukrainian troopers whereas Ukraine had 1,348 Russian troopers.
There are common exchanges between the 2 sides however normally involving just a few dozen individuals.
This time, Ukraine has stated it’s already in talks with Russia over an change for the Kursk POWs.
Human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets stated final week he had been contacted by his Russian counterpart Tatyana Moskalkova, claiming this was the primary time that Moscow had initiated contact for a prisoner swap.
“I see that this example… has not less than compelled the Russian facet to take the initiative,” he stated.
bur/am/fg
[ad_2]
Source
