Warfighter suggests tips on how to communicate with POWs freed from captivity

Dmytro Kozatskyi said this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"I would advise people who want to ask a question to think twice whether it is appropriate for a former prisoner of war. Let me give my own example. When I was at my friend's wedding, a person approached me and asked if we were really tortured in captivity. I don't understand why he asked this question, what was the reason. Everyone can see in what condition the Ukrainian prisoners return from captivity, and no explanation is needed," said Kozatskyi.

According to him, if a soldier freed from captivity is ready to share and talk, then you can talk to him, because those people need to speak their mind in order to transfer their traumatic experience to memory.

"It's important to have regular support, when someone can say, ‘I'm glad you're back,’ ‘Do you need any help?' or to tell such a person some local news," the serviceman added.

Kozatskyi noted that prisoners of war, who return home, should devote a few weeks just to themselves and their loved ones in order to adapt.

"It should happen gradually, because when you quickly return to active lifestyle, where the information changes rapidly, it is very difficult to continue moving at this pace," he noted.

As Ukrinform reported, another group of 103 Ukrainian servicemen returned from Russian captivity.