Ruslan allowing foreign envoy first visit to Ukrainian prisoners in Russia
Russia allowed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Pope's special envoy, to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war, marking the first physical access for a foreign representative since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said. The visit took place amid talks between Ukrainian and Russian human-rights commissioners over the return of prisoners and civilians. On 23 October, 270 Ukrainian service members and civilians returned to Ukraine.
أبرز النقاط
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia.
- It was the first visit by a foreign representative to Ukrainian prisoners since the full-scale invasion began.
- Dmytro Lubinets met with Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yanu Lantratova to discuss the return of Ukrainians.
- On 23 October, 270 Ukrainian service members and civilians returned from Russian captivity.
- Most of those released were defenders of Mariupol.
- Five of the released people survived the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka in July 2022.
- Earlier exchanges returned 103 Ukrainian service members on 19 August and 10 personnel considered missing in action on 24 August.
لماذا يهمّ ذلك
The reported visit expands foreign representatives' access to Ukrainian prisoners held in Russia and may create a channel for international oversight, support for their treatment and further efforts to secure their return. It also forms part of the broader contacts between Ukrainian and Russian human-rights commissioners on prisoner and civilian exchanges.
ماذا حدث
Dmytro Lubinets said that Russia permitted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Pope's special envoy, to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. It was the first such physical visit by a foreign representative since the start of the full-scale invasion. Separately, Lubinets met with Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yanu Lantratova to discuss returning Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians and the next steps in that process. Ukrainian defenders also reported that representatives of the Russian ombudsman had begun visiting them regularly.
The developments followed several exchanges. On 19 August, the first stage returned 103 Ukrainian service members, while the second stage on 24 August brought home 10 service members considered missing in action. A larger exchange on 23 October returned 270 service members and civilians. Most were Mariupol defenders, and the group included five survivors of the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka in July 2022.
كيف تصفه المصادر الأوكرانية
Ukrainian coverage emphasized the unprecedented nature of the foreign representative's physical visit to Ukrainian prisoners in Russia. The reporting also centered on Lubinets's discussions with Lantratova and the practical steps for returning prisoners and civilians, while placing the visit in the context of recent exchanges involving Mariupol defenders and survivors of the Olenivka terrorist attack.
الخلفية
Lubinets meets regularly with Yanu Lantratova regarding the return of Ukrainian citizens. Ukrainian defenders said representatives of the Russian ombudsman had begun visiting them regularly. Exchanges on 19 and 24 August returned 103 Ukrainian service members and 10 service members considered missing in action, respectively. The larger 23 October exchange brought 270 service members and civilians back to Ukraine.