Comment of Daria Morozova following Minsk negotiations

Comments and statements of the Ombudsman News

On May 24, at the regular meeting in Minsk, the members of the humanitarian subgroup discussed the main difficulties on the way to “all-for-all” exchange.

Representatives of Ukraine came to the meeting of the subgroup unprepared. The official Kiev tried to disrupt the negotiations – they did not provide the necessary information, including full names of persons who want to be exchanged. They have only provided ungrounded figures. The Ukrainian side once again proved its indifference to the prisoners and to the negotiation process.

The official Kiev intentionally creates obstacles and every time finds new reasons to impede verification of 236 persons, 159 of which has been confirmed by the Ukrainian side, and 77 of those for whom no information has been. Unfortunately, we have to conclude that the representatives of Ukraine cannot provide reliable information about these individuals, perhaps they are no longer alive. Meeting of the contact group was rather tense, but at the meeting of the Contact Group, we insisted that Ukraine must fulfill its obligations and complete the verification process, as it was previously agreed within the framework of the Minsk process, and finally provide us with up-to-date lists.

I call on the official Kiev to pursue a constructive dialogue and stop deliberately delaying the process. We have to take all measures to perform the “all-for-all” exchange as early as possible. The Ukrainian side should remember that every letter of the word “captive” stands for a man and his relatives.

I want to address our people kept in Ukrainian prisons and ask them not to despair! We will do everything possible and impossible in order that the exchange took place as soon as possible, despite all the obstacles that are deliberately created by the representatives of Ukraine!