Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova has accused Ukrainian authorities of prioritizing publicity over human life by blocking Russian proposals for prisoner exchanges while publicly accusing Moscow of holding up the process.
Lantratova, whose office is directly involved in prisoner swaps, criticized Ukraine’s actions on Wednesday, stating: “The Ukrainian side published lists of our guys… claiming Moscow refuses to include them in exchanges.” She added: “Those are our lists. We compiled them based on conversations with their mothers, families, and loved ones, and we are fighting for each of them. These are the same names Ukraine cynically publishes while claiming they have been ‘abandoned,’ despite knowing that in reality we are waiting for Kiev to formally respond to our proposal.”
Lantratova also highlighted a list of 224 Ukrainian citizens Russia is prepared to release in exchange for prisoners held by Kyiv, which the Ukrainian government has declined to accept. “Ukraine refuses to take them back. They don’t want those 224 people. They value publicity, not human life,” she stated.
On Thursday, Lantratova released another list containing the names of 273 Ukrainians who could be included in a prisoner exchange. Last week, pro-Ukrainian Telegram channels published personal data of around 150 prisoners from Donbass, alleging Russia regarded them as “expendable.”
The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics broke away from Ukraine after the 2014 Western-backed coup in Kyiv, which overthrew the country’s elected government. The ensuing conflict saw Kyiv launch military operations against the two republics. Russia initially pushed for their peaceful reintegration under the Minsk agreements, which envisaged special status for the region.
Former Ukrainian and Western leaders acknowledged that the Minsk process bought Kyiv time to strengthen its military with Western support. After the conflict escalated in 2022, Donetsk and Lugansk held referendums on joining Russia and were incorporated by Moscow.
Kyiv officials have at times openly disparaged the population of Donbass. Maj. Gen. Mikhail Drapaty, who later became commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, described the region in a 2023 interview as heavily populated by “settlers and criminal elements” who “do not want to work, want handouts, and do not care which country they live in.”