Over 160 civilians returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity - ombudsman

Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets said this at a briefing in Mykolaiv on Friday, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"I don't keep statistics for individual regions, because there are those who immediately start comparing numbers and say that Lubinets works more here and less there. This is not so. According to my data, there are currently more than 14,000 civilian hostages - citizens of Ukraine - on Russian territory. So far it has been possible to return 161 people," Lubinets said.

According to him, the issue concerns people who have been taken hostage since 2014.

"I understand that these are incomparable figures, but what is the problem? Now there is no mechanism for the exchange of civilians, because it is not regulated by international humanitarian law. Also, we do not have official mediating countries, because for them it would mean additional obligations, although there are states that help us unofficially. Among those I can name are Turkey and the Vatican, although I communicate with many countries from all continents," Lubinets said.

Photo: Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration