Ukraine Civilian Captivity: Health Crisis Worsens
- kyiv and Moscow completed an exchange of sixty civilians on Tuesday, December 17, 2023, facilitated along the Ukraine-Belarus border.
- Dmytro Lubinec, the Ukrainian ombudsman, stated via Telegram that many of those returned have limited mobility and will receive immediate medical attention.
- Alongside the civilian exchange, both sides facilitated the exchange of mail for prisoners of war.
ukraine-Russia exchange Includes Civilians, Prisoner of War Updates
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Updated December 17, 2023, at 06:12 AM EST
Civilian Exchange Completed
kyiv and Moscow completed an exchange of sixty civilians on Tuesday, December 17, 2023, facilitated along the Ukraine-Belarus border. According to reports,forty-five of the released individuals had been detained in Russia,while fifteen were transferred to Russian control.
Dmytro Lubinec, the Ukrainian ombudsman, stated via Telegram that many of those returned have limited mobility and will receive immediate medical attention.
Aid for Prisoners of War
Alongside the civilian exchange, both sides facilitated the exchange of mail for prisoners of war. Approximately 2,000 packages containing letters and humanitarian aid are slated for delivery to Ukrainian prisoners currently held in Russia.
Efforts were also made to address the issue of missing persons, with both Ukraine and Russia exchanging lists to aid in identification processes.
Prisoner of War Numbers
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) reports that Russia is currently holding over 6,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war. This figure underscores the significant humanitarian challenges stemming from the ongoing conflict.
Recent Ukrainian Drone Strike
On the night of December 17, 2023, an oil refinery in Slavyansk-na-kuban, in Russia’s Krasnodar region, was reportedly struck by Ukrainian drones, according to media reports.