Russia says Ukraine may execute Crimean POWs
Tatiana Moskalkova, the human rights Ombudsman, got a list of Crimean officers labeled as "unexchangeable" by Ukrainian authorities.
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Russian Human Rights Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova (TASS)
Russia's human rights ombudswoman has agreed to look into reports that certain Crimean officers being held hostage in Ukraine have been branded as "unexchangeable" by Kiev authorities and may face death.
While speaking to journalists Tuesday, Tatiana Moskalkova disclosed that Russia and Ukraine had executed a prisoner exchange in "86 to 86 format."
Moskalkova also disclosed that a list of Crimean officers was given to her who were, according to Ukraine, "unexchangeable". The ombudswoman expressed that she feared their execution as a result.
“I will check, make inquiries with the Ukrainian side, check with international bodies,” Moskalkova said.
She added that she would send footage and evidence made publicly available to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and to the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe "so that the whole world knows the truth."
Read more: Russia investigating footage of possible POWs shot by Ukrainian troops
The ombudswoman's comments come just a few days after she stated that Russia has been completely faithful to the Geneva Convention in its treatment of war captives, and that captured Ukrainians have been maintained in "ideal" circumstances.
Last week, Human Rights Watch called on Kiev to investigate "possible" war crimes after footage emerged of Ukrainian soldiers shooting Russian prisoners of war in the legs.
The video began circulating around March 27, and it showed three men in fatigues with their hands tied behind their backs. They were thrown to the ground by Ukrainian soldiers who proceeded to shoot them in the legs.
It is noteworthy that the Ukrainian armed forces have a lot of neo-Nazis and extremists among their ranks, with Russia declaring the "denazification" of Ukraine among one of the reasons for the war.
Furthermore, Kiev was found to have been, in collaboration with the United States, building bio labs, with Washington itself admitting to the act.
