Russia pressuring kin of Ukrainian POWs to collaborate, officers say

Russian intelligence companies and navy are trying to affect kin of Ukrainian prisoners of battle (POWs) by contacting them instantly after their seize, the Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Therapy of POWs reported on Jan. 27.

The calls are used to stress kin into cooperating with Russian forces by demanding cash, delicate info, or unlawful actions in change for guarantees of higher therapy or inclusion in prisoner exchanges, in response to the assertion.

"That is completed to shock, emotionally stress, and drive the household to cooperate," the headquarters reported.

This comes as one other instance of Russia abusing or threatening Ukrainian captives as a part of its all-out battle towards Ukraine. Kyiv and Moscow have carried out a number of prisoner exchanges throughout the battle, although Russia has been accused of intentionally slowing down the swaps and spreading disinformation in regards to the course of to destabilize Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities have documented widespread violations of the Geneva Conventions by Russia, together with the execution of over 100 Ukrainian POWs in 2024 alone, in response to Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

Experiences of torture, homicide, and ill-treatment of Ukrainian captives have surged in current months, notably in Donetsk Oblast, the place intense combating continues. On Jan. 23, Ukraine's Prosecutor Normal's Workplace introduced it was investigating a case of Russian troops summarily executing six Ukrainian POWs within the area.

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