Ombudsman refutes Russian disinformation portraying captivity as 'health resort'

Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, has firmly denied Russia's disinformation campaign portraying Ukrainian prisoners of war as inmates in a health resort. In a press conference titled "Countering Russian disinformation," Lubinets affirmed that his office, in collaboration with Russian counterparts, has never declined to take back Ukrainian prisoners, civilians, or children.

He emphasized Russia's protracted approval process, which prolongs the release of captives while simultaneously accusing Ukraine of abandoning its citizens.

Lubinets accused Russia of fabricating prisoner lists, even after Ukraine confirms readiness to receive them. He highlighted Russia's desire to market Ukrainian captives as if they were leisurely recuperating at a health resort. With the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) barred from visiting prisoner facilities since the outset of the full-scale invasion, Lubinets questioned why no ICRC representatives had been present during their internment. He stated that in four years, he had never received a positive response to this inquiry.

The ombudsman criticized Russia's portrayal of Ukrainian treatment of captives, alleging that the enemy focuses on the moment of capture rather than the actual conditions during detention. He pointed to evidence of Ukrainian captives returning exhausted and significantly lighter, while some Russian prisoners have even gained weight while under Ukrainian care. Lubinets emphasized that the world can see the stark reality of Ukrainian prisoners' post-capture condition, contrasting sharply with Russia's selective propaganda.