Ukrainian government allocates funds to repair camp for Russian prisoners of war

The press service of the Ministry of Economy reported  the information.

The government decided that, during the period of martial law, the costs associated with the detention of prisoners of war could be covered from the state budget's reserve fund. They allocated UAH 34.05 million for this purpose.

"The funds allocated by the government will be used to repair and properly equip buildings and utilities in one of the camps. This will increase Ukraine's capacity to hold prisoners of war and allow them to be held in compliance with both international standards and Ukrainian law," the ministry explained.

They noted that Ukraine, as a signatory to the Geneva Conventions, must ensure that prisoners of war are held in human conditions.

Earlier, MP Oleksiy Honcharenko announced the allocation of funds for the repair of the Zakhid 2 camp.

"The Cabinet of Ministers allocates UAH 34 million to the Ministry of Justice for the overhaul of the Zakhid 2 prisoner of war camp," he wrote.

PoW camps in Ukraine

For an extended period, the Zakhid 1 camp, established in May 2022 on the basis of a penal colony in the Lviv region, adequately accommodated Russian prisoners of war during a period of active exchanges. However, due to the escalating number of Russian prisoners, a new camp was announced on November 7 by Justice Minister Denys Malyuska to address the increased demand for facilities.

The opening took place in December 2023. The Zakhid 2 camp is located in the deep rear, as provided for by the Geneva Conventions. The camp provides separate beds in large heated rooms, regular hot meals, access to medical care, and the ability to receive and send correspondence, parcels and money orders from relatives.

Similar to the Zakhid 1 camp, the new facility allows access to international human rights organizations and the media for inspection and reporting.

• Last spring, the Ministry of Justice reported that about UAH 10,000 were spent monthly on the maintenance of one Russian soldier who was taken prisoner by Ukraine.
• On November 3, 2023, the head of the department, Denis Malyuska, noted that all Russian prisoners of war who were not injured and were not undergoing treatment were working: "No one is idling, everyone is working. It's not complicated work - making furniture out of reeds, gluing different materials together. It is simple physical work, but at the same time they are engaged. And in terms of work ethic and discipline, of course, it is easier to work with them than with ordinary prisoners who have committed a crime. So the discipline there is at a higher level and, accordingly, the work efficiency is better."