Condemns Russia's Illegal Treatment, Ukraine Demands Humane Treatment Of Prisoners Of War According To Geneva Conventions

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets his soldiers on the front lines. (Source: president.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - Ukraine's Foreign Ministry accused Russia of illegally treating Ukrainian prisoners of war and using them for political purposes, demanding humane treatment of captured foreigners who fought for Ukraine.

The ministry urged Russia to strictly comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law, including the 1949 Geneva Conventions which define international legal standards for humanitarian treatment.

"Ukraine condemns the illegal treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war by the Russian Federation, in particular their use for its own political purposes," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said, quoted by Reuters on July 19.

"We demand from the Russian side to strictly comply with the provisions of international humanitarian law, in particular the Geneva Conventions on the Treatment of Prisoners of War, in relation to servicemen of the Ukrainian Armed Forces who are prisoners of war," the ministry continued.

It is said, "all foreign nationals and stateless persons" who fought on Ukrainian territory for the Ukrainian armed forces were accepted voluntarily for military service under Ukrainian law.

"Relevant persons are soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, who in accordance with the provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions on the Protection of War Victims and Additional Protocol I 1977, the legal status of combatants applies," the ministry said.

"This status, among other things, entitles such persons to be treated as prisoners of war if captured by enemy forces," the ministry said.

A Moroccan and two Britons were sentenced to death by a Russian-backed separatist court in eastern Ukraine for fighting for Ukraine in June. They have appealed the sentence.

Last week, Britain expressed "deep concern" over reports of the death of a British aid worker while in the custody of a "Russian proxy in Ukraine".

Russia did not immediately respond to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry statement. Earlier, Moscow said it was investigating allegations of mistreatment of Russian soldiers while detained in Ukraine.

Ukraine said it checked all information regarding the treatment of prisoners of war, would investigate any violations and take appropriate legal action.