“Captivity kills”: Families of Ukrainian PoWs hold rallies across Ukraine – photo
Families of Ukrainian prisoners of war (PoWs) held rallies all across Ukraine on Sunday under the slogan of "Don't be silent! Captivity kills!" Source: Radio Liberty; hromadske
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-- hromadske (@HromadskeUA) December 10, 2023Representatives of various brigades and international organisations, as well as volunteers and charity workers also joined the demonstration. The event was also attended by government officials from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
Nataliia Zarytska, head of the Women of Steel NGO who organised the demonstration, said that prisoners' families and friends "are doing everything in their power to keep the authorities and society focused on the issue of bringing the defenders back [to Ukraine]", but their actions have not yet had the desired effect. Some of the relatives of Ukrainian PoWs said that they have not had contact with those in captivity for almost two years. In Lviv, a silent demonstration was held in front of the Lviv Opera, and was attended by more than a hundred families of prisoners of war, Radio Liberty reported.
Demonstration in Lviv, 10 December. Photo: Radio Liberty
Demonstrators held placards with the following slogans: "Captivity kills", "We are waiting for our Heroes", "Give my father back", "Some people are waiting for holiday gifts, I'm waiting for my husband to come back from captivity", "Bring back the defenders of Mariupol who are still held captive", "My dad, my hero! Bring back our dad", "Bring back my brother", "Bring back our dear defenders", "When everything appears to collapse and you want to give up...
Just remember Azovstal".
Demonstration in Lviv, 10 December. Women hold placards that read: "Fight for them like they fought for us", "Captivity kills" and "19 months in captivity. How many more?" Photo: Radio Liberty
Demonstrators urged people all over the world to call for prisoner swaps that would see Ukrainian prisoners of war returned to Ukraine.
Demonstration in Lviv, 10 December. Photo: Radio Liberty
A similar rally was held in Dnipro, and was attended by over a hundred people. Participants said their goal is to draw public attention to the lack of prisoner exchanges and the inadequate conditions, in which Ukrainian prisoners are held in Russia.
Demonstration in Dnipro, 10 December. Man holds a sign that reads: "74 Separate Intelligence Battalion.
20 months of captivity, bring my son back home!" and the young woman next to him holds a placard that says: "74 Separate Intelligence Battalion: When will there be a prisoner swap? Save them".
Photo: Radio Liberty
Escorted by the police, participants carrying signs with the "Don't be silent! Captivity kills!" slogan marched from the city centre to the square in front of the city's main railway station. Background:
- Russia and Ukraine have effectively stopped exchanging prisoners of war.
The last message regarding exchange was published on the Telegram channel of the Ukrainian PoW coordination headquarters on 7 August.
- The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War believes that Russia suspended the exchange of PoWs to manipulate Ukraine.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that sometimes PoW exchanges with Russia take place immediately on the battlefield.
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