russia has yet to form mixed medical commission to facilitate faster prisoner exchanges for seriously ill and wounded

As of now, russia has yet to establish a mixed medical commission, a crucial step needed to facilitate prisoner exchanges and expedite the return of seriously ill and injured captives. In the summer of 2023, Ukraine formed its own mixed medical commission in accordance with the Third Geneva Convention. This body comprises two doctors from a neutral country and a representative from the detaining power. Its role is to assess the health of prisoners and ensure that those who are gravely ill or severely wounded receive care in a third country or are repatriated to their homeland. Despite Ukraine having such a commission in place for over a year, russia, a signatory to the Geneva Conventions, has not yet established a comparable body.

This issue was highlighted during a recent briefing at Media Center Ukraine.

Petro Yatsenko, a representative of the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, noted that mixed medical commissions serve as a mechanism outlined in the Third Geneva Convention. They stipulate that prisoners of war who are unfit for detention due to health concerns should be either repatriated for treatment in a third country or returned to their country of origin.

“Both the Ukrainian side and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have made every effort to establish this commission. However, a critical component is still lacking—a similar commission must be set up in the russian federation. Members of this commission should have full access to the facilities where Ukrainian prisoners of war are held, enabling them to examine and evaluate their health,” Yatsenko explained.

While Ukraine is prepared to repatriate seriously wounded and ill prisoners, the russian federation has yet to take the necessary steps.

“Last week, I visited one of the camps housing russian prisoners of war, where wounded individuals approached me, asking why exchanges have not taken place and why they have not been sent home. The unfortunate reality is that the russian side has yet to take any action, despite more than a year passing since Ukraine established its mixed medical commission,” Yatsenko added.

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