The families of prisoners of war and civilian hostages rallied outside the US Embassy in Kyiv, urging their release under the “all for all” formula
The demonstration, titled “No ‘Deals’ Without the Release of Ukrainians from Captivity,” was organised by the public organisation “Voyatskyi Vyzvil”">і . Participants called on the American administration to exert pressure on the Russian Federation during peace negotiations to ensure the return of Ukrainian prisoners. The protesters argued that their release would demonstrate Russia’s ability to negotiate with the entire world, as a journalist from ZMINA reported.
Photo: ZMINAMore than 500 family members of prisoners of war and civilians illegally detained by Russia held placards in English reading: “Help Free Civilians,” “Every POW Has the Right to Freedom,” “Captivity Kills Our Sons and Husbands,” “Want Peace? But First Return POWs,” “No Negotiations, No Deals Until Our POWs Return Home.” Attendees also unfurled a large banner stating, “Don’t Let Russia Torture and Kill Our POWs.”
The action was supported by Oksana Dorokhova, a representative of the NGO “Civilians in Captivity,” whose husband remains in Russian captivity. She implored the United States to find leverage over Russia to release the prisoners, especially those detained for “obstructing the SMO” (Special Military Operation).
“America must help in the return of civilians from Russian captivity to Ukraine,” the activist added.
Photo: ZMINALyudmyla Mashkova, another representative of “Civilians in Captivity,” came to remind people about her son, Oleksiy Yashchenko, and three residents of Irpin – Artur Baranets, Ruslan Filipenko, and Denys Derevianchuk. The Russians abducted them on March 2, 2022. There is currently no information about the men’s whereabouts.
“We have come to the American Embassy because our souls are crying out. We hope that finally we will be heard and that we will be helped to bring our loved ones back,” the woman stated.
The husband of another participant, Tetiana Chernyayeva, has been in Russian captivity for almost two years. Despite his poor physical condition, the Russians transferred Serhiy Chernyayev deep into Russia, where he is currently being held.
“Serhiy is a pensioner from the Kherson region. Witnesses say he is in very bad condition. That is why we have come out once again to appeal to America, which positions itself as a defender of human rights and human values, and which acted as a guarantor of our territorial integrity. Let it show that it really is. Let all civilians and military personnel be returned,” his wife believes.
Photo: ZMINASpeaking to those present, Maryna, the wife of a Ukrainian defender who has gone missing, expressed outrage that the Russian Federation is not reporting the whereabouts of some prisoners of war, to make their loved ones suffer.
“Families are suffering due to the lack of information about the fate, whereabouts, and health status of their relatives. Therefore, when we call on the US presidential administration to help release ‘all for all,’ we must not exclude those not officially confirmed. And this applies to both prisoners of war and civilian hostages. International organizations that will monitor the exchange process must be involved in the ‘all for all’ exchange formula, so that not a single one of our people remains in captivity,” Maryna noted.
Oleksandr Demenko, a defender of Mariupol and former prisoner of war who was present at the event, urged Americans to help release all prisoners of war who defended Ukraine.
“Now I want to become the voice of the prisoners – release them. Every day they are in inhumane conditions, every day they are subjected to physical and moral torture. We pray and implore – release them. They cannot stay in these torture chambers any longer. The further the war goes, the further into Russia the prisoners of war are moved, and the worse the conditions of their detention become,” he appealed to the Americans.
Natalia Yepifanova, head of the “Voyatskyi Vyzvil” organization, read out an appeal to the American president. Here is its text:
“Dear Mr. Donald Trump! We are addressing you with a painful issue for tens of thousands of Ukrainian families who have lost contact with their loved ones. Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages have been held in secret and illegal prisons in the Russian Federation since 2014. They are cut off from the world, have no contact with their families, and are subjected to brutal torture, inhumane treatment, humiliation, trials by hunger, cold, and lack of basic medical care.
The Russian Federation systematically violates the Geneva Conventions and norms of international humanitarian law, does not provide complete official lists of all those taken prisoner, and deliberately conceals the number and places of detention of Ukrainians in prisons.
Currently, statements are being made by the United States about the need for peace between Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian citizens firmly support the idea of a just peace. However, a peace agreement cannot be signed if crimes against humanity are ignored and the systematic torture and suffering of our people in captivity are silenced. Justice is the foundation of any peace process, and it begins with the return of those who are currently enduring inhumane trials in Russian captivity.
We appeal to you to use your influence and force the Russian Federation to immediately release all Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages from Russian captivity. We believe that the United States, as the leader of the free democratic world, has all the leverage to compel Russia to do so. Without this key prerequisite, it is difficult to believe in the sincere intentions of the Russian Federation to enter into peace negotiations, especially when this aggressor state continues to kill and torture our people in captivity with impunity, disregarding international humanitarian law.
In this regard, we call on the United States to:
- Increase pressure on the Russian Federation to immediately allow international organizations access to the places of detention of Ukrainian prisoners of war, to ensure that Russia provides Ukraine with complete official lists of all Ukrainians it holds captive, ensures their contact with their families, and adheres to the Geneva Conventions and norms of IHL in its treatment of prisoners of war.
- Demand that the Russian Federation immediately release all Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages under the ‘all for all’ formula, including those prisoners about whom the Russian Federation provides no information through the ICRC, but who are in Russian prisons and have the status of missing persons in Ukraine, and also to release all those illegally convicted.
Any peace initiatives must begin with a demand for Russia to release Ukrainian prisoners. This will be the first step by the Russian Federation to demonstrate its readiness to resolve the largest armed conflict in Europe, which it started. It will also demonstrate the aggressor country’s ability to fulfil the agreements reached. We call on you to take decisive action – Ukrainians cannot wait. Every day our compatriots spend in captivity means new torments, new tortures, new tragedies. Set an example of true justice to the world – help release our people.”
After each action, the participant signed the appeal, it will be scanned and sent to the American Embassy’s email address.
The Human Rights Centre ZMINA, together with Ukrainian and international partners, is documenting enforced disappearances, detentions, and abductions of civilians in the temporarily occupied territories. If your relatives have disappeared or you fear they may have been abducted, please write to our email address ys@zmina.ua. Our representative will contact you.
The information received, with the consent of the applicant, will be used for appeals to national and international investigative bodies, as well as international organizations, for them to include the information in periodic reports, in particular to the UN Committee Against Torture, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the International Criminal Court, etc., for the documentation and further investigation of war crimes committed in Ukraine and the bringing of perpetrators to justice.
