The Coordination Staff on Treatment of Prisoners of War and all involved agencies are working around the clock to find and liberate Ukrainian defenders and civilians held captive in russia.

This was stated by the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, during his chairmanship of the Coordination Staff Council.

‘The work to find and liberate prisoners does not stop for a minute. Each of us is aware of its importance and responsibility. We are doing everything to fulfil the task set by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelenskyi – to return all captured Ukrainians home. During over three years of full-scale war, we returned 4 306 of our defenders and civilians from russian captivity,’ said Vasyl Maliuk.

The members of the Coordination Staff Council discussed the urgent issues related to the return of PoWs, priority of exchanges and intensifying negotiations.

The Head of the Coordination Staff, General Kyrylo Budanov, emphasized: ‘Only through joint coordinated efforts of all government agencies involved in the prisoners’ return and with active participation of the public will we be able to achieve the desired result. It is important to open the Coordination Staff’s offices in each region as soon as possible and to launch the work of a Public Council properly.’

Vasyl Maliuk added that in addition to search and organizational work, investigators of the Security Service of Ukraine are also carrying out all the necessary procedural actions with the prisoners of war who fought in the russian armed forces and were captured by the Defense Forces, e.g. the recently captured Chinese citizens. Ukraine is ready to exchange these PoWs for its defenders.

To ensure a more efficient and coordinated effort, the Coordination Staff Council adopted a number of organizational decisions. Among other things, the members agreed on the work of regional groups, including the Crimean group, which will start working soon.

At the same time, the Support Centers for Relatives of the Prisoners of War, opened recently in Lviv, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, will continue to operate.

The members of the Coordination Staff Council also discussed the possibility of participation of the public in the activities of the Coordination Staff, including in the Public Council.