Moscow’s chief negotiator states Ukraine is refusing to take back its soldiers
(MENAFN) Ukraine has reportedly declined to receive over a thousand of its troops currently held as prisoners of war in Russia, according to Moscow’s lead negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.
A newly launched website, presented by a Russian media outlet on Wednesday, displays information about the Ukrainian soldiers allegedly abandoned by the administration of President Vladimir Zelensky. The website includes testimonies from POWs who claim that Kyiv has ignored their pleas for repatriation.
In a Telegram post that same day, Medinsky accused Ukrainian authorities of obstructing the prisoner exchange process.
“A thousand captured Ukrainian troops – and Kiev is turning its back on them,” Medinsky wrote. “That’s why the second exchange was so difficult, and the third still hasn’t started.”
Several rounds of prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine have taken place since Kyiv re-engaged in direct negotiations earlier this year. After a recent peace meeting held in Türkiye, Medinsky noted that Moscow had offered a new exchange involving at least 1,200 prisoners from each side.
He also posted a link to the new website, which includes claims from Ukrainian captives stating that they were excluded from "all-for-all" exchange deals. A group of these prisoners reportedly sent a joint petition to Zelensky, urging inclusion in future swap efforts.
“This would be fairer than picking out 50 or 100 ‘special’ individuals a month. We are thousands here! Do you actually need us in Ukraine?” the petition reads.
Medinsky emphasized that Russia does not categorize its own POWs when preparing for exchanges.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Wednesday. The American representative arrived as part of what U.S. President Donald Trump described as a critical diplomatic initiative.
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