Russia keeps civilian Ukrainians prisoner fearing they may serve as war crime witnesses — Ombudsman

Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said this during a discussion of the issue of civilian hostages held by Russia, Ukrinform reports. 

He emphasized that the Ombudsman's Office has verified reports regarding Russian actions in the temporarily occupied territories, including instances of torture, sexual and psychological violence, improper detention conditions, and denial of access to medical care.

"The Russian Federation, according to our observations, does not release civilians because they can automatically be witnesses of Russian atrocities in temporarily occupied areas. In general, in my opinion, the detention and holding of civilians is a new system of pressure on the civilian population that remains and lives in those areas. This is a system of pressure in line with the worst practices of 1937, during the rule of the Soviet government," Lubinets said. 

The Ombudsman also emphasized that the expeditious return of civilians primarily hinges on the Ukrainian side.

"We understand that we cannot hope, with all due respect to our international partners, that they will be the drivers of the process. Only Ukraine as a state is obliged to do everything to return our civilians," he said. 

According to the Ombudsman, international partners should help Ukraine in returning its citizens, but it is the task of the Ukrainian authorities to initiate new processes, discussions and public and non-public events. 

"As long as the Russian Federation shows by all its actions that it violates all norms of international humanitarian law and there is no liability for this, we will not be able to significantly change the situation, including of civilian hostages," Lubinets emphasized. 

• On March 26, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said that Russia is holding over 10,000 civilian Ukrainians in the occupied territories and in Russia. Criminal proceedings have already identified 5,600 civilians who suffered from torture.