Ukrainian Ombudsman responds to UN statement on violation Russian PoW rights 

Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets believes that the UN conclusions on Ukraine's violation of the rights of Russian prisoners of war equate the victim with the aggressor

This was reported by Dmytro Lubinets in an interview with RBC-Ukraine. 

"I was surprised because during the meetings with the head of the Mission, Matilda Bogner, and the UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine, Denise Brown, they never raised the issue of the treatment of Russian prisoners of war. Nor did they demonstrate such facts," the Ombudsman comments on the findings of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine. 

The Ombudsman emphasizes that the organization's statement about the country's violation of the rights of Russian prisoners of war is not true.

"This can harm us because such reports by international organizations put a sign of equality between the aggressor and the victim. We are the ones who were attacked. However, Ukraine adheres to the Geneva Conventions and international law, and we are open to any inspections, which cannot be said about the Russians. A victim is not equal to an aggressor, this must be clearly understood," Lubinets assures.

Earlier, on March 24, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights commented on the reports of the UN Monitoring Mission, in particular on violations of human rights by Russia and Ukraine. He noted that the mission's findings confirmed that Russia was committing mass crimes in Ukraine, violating human rights and humanitarian law. However, there were allegations that Ukraine violates the rights of prisoners of war.