Ukraine actively working on replenishing POW swap pool - SBU

This was announced by the Head of the Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, who spoke at a joint briefing with the heads of the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Internal Affairs, GUR defense intelligence, SZRU foreign intelligence service, and Verkhovna Rada's Commissioner for Human Rights, Ukrniform reports with reference to the agency’s press service.

"The return of Ukrainian defenders is a top-priority task set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President Volodymyr Zelensky. And this is an important part of our job. In addition, SBU fighters are successfully working to replenish our exchange fund as much as possible," he said.

According to Maliuk, from now on, the negotiation group, which is engaged in preparing exchanges on behalf of the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, is expanding. In particular, it will include representatives from the Security Service, GUR, MIA, AFU, SZRU, and Ombudsman.

"I am sure that this option will allow for combining our efforts and more effectively fighting for every Ukrainian defender in order to bring them home. It is the synergy and combination of our efforts that will bear fruit as soon as possible," Maliuk is convinced.

The head of the SBU noted that this applies to organizing exchanges not only of military personnel, but also for civilians, in particular those whom Russia has been illegally holding since 2014.

At the same time, the official said that during the fierce fighting in Russia’s Kursk region, operatives from the SBU’s “A” special operations center forces captured over a hundred Russian servicemen, including officers and members of the Akhmat unit.

"Yesterday we ran a filigree raid, as a result of which 102 Russians were captured. In the future, we are already thinking of how to use this as effectively as possible to bring our defenders home," the head of the department noted.

In particular, he emphasized that military counter-intelligence and SBU investigators are currently working with captured Russians to document the war crimes committed since the invasion in 2022.

Maliuk explained that only after the captives have provided comprehensive testimony and all procedures laid down by law have been carried out by the GUR and SBU in their respect will the Ukrainian side be able to negotiate their exchange with Russia.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the strategy for the return of Ukrainians from Russian captivity was presented today at the meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.

Photo: SBU