Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her delegation met with the leadership of the Coordination Headquarters of Ukraine for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. The Headquarters includes representatives of 22 state bodies, security structures, and agencies, including the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), the Office of the President, the police, and others.
Representing the Ukrainian side at the meeting were Secretary Brigadier General Dmytro Usov, Head of the Secretariat Bohdan Okhrimenko, and his team.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked the Coordination Headquarters for its cooperation in organizing the safe evacuation of Belarusian political prisoners released through the efforts of the United States. The HQ coordinated the transportation and support of the released prisoners and remained in contact with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office and the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus.
The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador-at-Large of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry for Cooperation with the Democratic Forces of Belarus, Yaroslav Chornohor.
The participants discussed the situation of Belarusian volunteer fighters, ways to address the issues they face, as well as the fate of “Tromblya” and “Klyashch”, who are being held in Russian captivity, possibilities for their exchange, and options for securing the release or exchange of political prisoners convicted for supporting Ukraine in Belarus. They also discussed the situation of Vasil Verameichyk and other hostages of the regime.
Unfortunately, certain restrictions related to international conventions complicate the exchange of civilians for military personnel involving a third country.
The sides also discussed cooperation aimed at stopping the recruitment of Belarusians into the Russian army. Many Belarusians who join the Russian military do so for financial reasons, and 400 Belarusian citizens who fought for Russia have already been killed.
A video call was organized during the meeting for Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya with three Belarusian citizens who fought for Russia, were taken prisoner, and are now being held in a prisoner-of-war camp. The leader asked the captured Belarusians about their motivation. They replied that they had gone to fight for money and now regret it. The Lukashenka regime is not interested in securing their release or exchange, and Russia is equally uninterested in them, leaving their fate uncertain.
The sides also agreed to exchange information regarding the forcible displacement of Ukrainian children to Belarus, in which the Lukashenka regime actively participates. Pavel Latushka and the National Anti-Crisis Management have collected evidence of the deportations and will provide all necessary materials to the Ukrainian side.
The parties agreed to establish a working group to continue cooperation.
