According to Anna Purtowa, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, roughly 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers are currently classified as missing in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Purtowa noted that it is currently unknown exactly how many of these are being held as prisoners of war (POWs) by Russia.
She pointed out that, under the Geneva Convention concerning the Treatment of Prisoners, warring parties are obligated to disclose the names of detainees, yet this requirement is not being met. Purtowa, who advocates for the families and veterans of missing Ukrainian soldiers and POWs, highlighted the severe emotional toll on these families, some of whom have endured over four years of agonizing uncertainty regarding the survival and whereabouts of their loved ones.
Beyond the non-disclosure of detainee records, Purtowa alleged that Russia has repeatedly violated the Geneva Convention in other ways. She stated that Russia has refused to grant the Red Cross access to POW camps. Furthermore, she claimed that Ukrainian prisoners are systematically subjected to torture, malnutrition, and degrading treatment. Purtowa, who belongs to the parliamentary governing party “Diener des Volkes,” insists that international political pressure is essential if these conditions are to change.
