Russia lets Pope's envoy visit Ukrainian prisoners of war for the first time since 2022
Russia allowed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the Pope's special envoy, to visit Ukrainian prisoners of war in the country, Ukraine's Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets said. It was the first such visit by a foreign representative since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The visit came as Ukrainian and Russian human-rights commissioners continued discussions on returning prisoners and civilians.
Key points
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi visited Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia
- It was the first physical visit by a foreign representative to Ukrainian POWs in Russia since the full-scale invasion began
- Ukraine's Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets confirmed the visit and the unprecedented access
- Lubinets met Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yanu Lantratova to discuss further returns of POWs and civilians
- 270 Ukrainian service members and civilians returned from Russian captivity on October 23
- Most of those released on October 23 were defenders of Mariupol
- Five of the released people survived the Russian terrorist attack in Olenivka in July 2022
Why it matters
The reported visit expands access for a foreign representative to Ukrainian prisoners of war held in Russia and may create a mechanism for international oversight of their treatment and support for possible returns. It also coincided with contacts between Ukrainian and Russian human-rights commissioners on repatriating prisoners of war and civilians, following earlier exchange stages that returned service members to Ukraine.
What happened
Russia admitted the Pope's special envoy Cardinal Matteo Zuppi to Ukrainian prisoners of war, marking the first time since the beginning of the full-scale invasion that a foreign representative was physically allowed to visit them. Ukraine's Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets announced the visit and said that Ukrainian defenders had confirmed regular visits by representatives of the Russian ombudsman to those held in captivity. Lubinets also met Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Yanu Lantratova, with whom he regularly discusses the return of Ukrainian citizens, and the two reviewed further steps for releasing prisoners of war and civilians. The developments followed a larger exchange on October 23, when 270 Ukrainian service members and civilians returned to Ukraine, mostly defenders of Mariupol, including five survivors of the July 2022 terrorist attack in Olenivka.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian coverage emphasizes the unprecedented nature of the visit, which provided physical access for a foreign representative to Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. Reporting centers on Lubinets, his discussions with Lantratova and the practical steps toward further returns, while also placing the event in the context of recent exchanges that brought home Mariupol defenders and Olenivka survivors.
Background
Lubinets regularly meets Lantratova over the return of Ukrainian citizens, and Ukrainian defenders have said representatives of the Russian ombudsman began visiting them regularly. Earlier exchange stages returned 103 Ukrainian service members on August 19 and 10 service members considered missing in action on August 24. The October 23 exchange brought back 270 service members and civilians, most of them defenders of Mariupol, including five Olenivka survivors.