Ukraine's ombudsperson in Brussels speaks about release of political prisoners

The Mission of Ukraine to the EU reported this on its Facebook page.

"On February 13, in the framework of a visit to Brussels Ukraine's Ombudsperson Liudmyla Denisova met with Head of European External Action Service (EEAS) Division for Russia Dirk Schuebel and EEAS Deputy Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia Luc Devigne. They discussed the release of Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war from Russian captivity," the report says.

During the negotiations, the Ukrainian side briefed in details the EU partners about the situation with Ukrainian political prisoners, prisoners of war and hostages in Russia-occupied Donbas, who became victims of the Russian hybrid aggression against Ukraine. Denisova stressed that Russia had been blocking any steps towards their exchange and release. 

During the meeting, Ukraine and the EU expressed a common position and called on Russia to provide Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war with proper medical assistance, to ensure unimpeded access of consular officers to them and ensure their immediately release.

"The EU will continue to monitor so-called court hearings in the cases of Ukrainian political prisoners and prisoners of war. The Ukrainian side invited EU diplomats to visit the so-called court hearing in the case of Pavlo Hryb, which will be held in Rostov-on-Don on February 18," the mission noted.