The exchange fund is insufficient to return all our defenders – Representative of the Coordination Headquarters

The successful exchange of POWs depends directly on the availability of an exchange fund. The lack of this resource is one of the key challenges in the repatriation of Ukrainian defenders.

This was stated by Oleh Slobodianyk, representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine.

“Exchanges are carried out through a single mechanism—the exchange of prisoners of war. And in order to carry out an exchange, it is necessary to have an exchange fund. No one else can provide it except the military units. And here, the question of the price of this exchange arises. Because if we get the exchange fund, it is obvious that we lose human lives,” he noted.

According to Slobodianyk, the current exchange fund is not enough to bring back all the prisoners. Moreover, a large number of civilians remain in captivity.

“And unfortunately, there are other problems related to the exchange fund. The main problem is that—let’s be honest—it is simply not enough to bring back all our defenders. And unfortunately, in addition to the servicemen, there are a large number of civilians who are being held captive. We need a tool, the main tool – the exchange fund. If tomorrow, under the current conditions, the question of returning everyone arises – perhaps within the framework of a ceasefire or a truce – and the russian side is ready to discuss a one-for-one exchange, we still won’t be able to bring everyone back. This is the objective reality and truth that we have to acknowledge,” he stressed.

Another challenge, as noted by the Coordination Headquarters representative, is russia’s lack of interest in exchanges. Therefore, specialists at the Coordination Headquarters are working on new mechanisms to stimulate such requests.

“The second problem, unfortunately, is the enemy side’s lack of interest in this exchange fund, which we face on a daily basis. Therefore, the Coordination Headquarters is working on a whole series of projects to stimulate requests, so that they would come in, allowing us to return more of our defenders and do this work in a more focused manner,” the statement reads.

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