Russia holding over 400 Ukrainian women in captivity

There are currently 403 Ukrainian women in Russian captivity, some of whom are civilians, according to the press service of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV).

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Released Ukrainian women have reported that during their captivity the Russians humiliated them, held them in inhumane conditions, provided them with inadequate food, denied them qualified medical care, and prohibited them from contacting their families, according to KSHPPV.

According to the agency, 403 Ukrainian women are currently in Russian custody, including some illegally detained civilians. There are also women whose fate has been unknown since 2014 and those who are missing.

All Ukrainian requests for the return of the women from captivity have been ignored by Russia, KSHPPV said.

"The Ukrainian side has repeatedly suggested that Russia give priority to the release of women. However, the representatives of the aggressor country engage in manipulations, such as publishing various lists. Behind all this is a reluctance to continue the exchange," the statement said.

The conditions of Ukrainian prisoners do not comply with the Third Geneva Convention on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, the executive body emphasized.

"Women, as well as severely wounded and seriously ill prisoners of war, should be released from captivity or repatriated to neutral countries as a matter of priority in accordance with international humanitarian law," the agency added.

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