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Ukrainian, Russian ombudsmen meet in Belarus to address humanitarian issues amid war

by Kateryna Denisova November 8, 2024 6:27 PM 2 min read
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets (C) meets with his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, in Belarus on Nov. 8, 2024. (Dmytro Lubinets/Telegram)
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Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets met with his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, in Belarus on Nov. 8 to discuss humanitarian issues related to Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

The public meeting between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Belarus — Russia's ally, which has allowed the Kremlin to use its territory as a staging ground for its military operations against Ukraine — appears to be the first since March 2022.

The International Committee of the Red Cross also participated in the talks.

"I emphasize that I interacted with the Russian ombudsman to resolve humanitarian issues, return Ukrainians home, and obtain information about our citizens in Russia," Lubinets said.

During the meeting, the parties repatriated the bodies of fallen soldiers. Kyiv received 563 bodies, while Russia received 37.

The two ombudsmen introduced a new initiative, exchanging letters from Ukrainian relatives to Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Russia, according to Lubinets. They also exchanged lists of POWs visited by both sides.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the two countries have regularly exchanged prisoners, with the most recent swap occurring in mid-October, when each side returned 95 prisoners.

The exact number of Ukrainian troops and civilians held in Russian captivity has not been made public. In late June, Lubinets reported there were more than 14,000 Ukrainian civilians in captivity.

A 91-year-old woman was able to meet with her son as a result of the talks in Belarus, Lubinets added.

Kyiv appeals to UN, Red Cross after reports of Russian soldiers murdering civilians in Selydove
“The alleged shooting of two women by the occupiers in Selydove is a war crime,” Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. “I immediately sent letters to international organizations: UN and ICRC. I am waiting for a response.”

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