Ukrainian Parliament's Human Rights Commissioner Liudmyla Denisova met in Athens with Russian Ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova, demanding that the Russian side provide immediate hospital treatment to the three wounded Ukrainian sailors, prisoners of war captured on Nov 25 near the Kerch Strait.
“I talked with Russian Ombudsperson Tatyana Moskalkova. We had earlier agreed to meet in Greece, but the Russian side wouldn't agree the schedule. Therefore, I was forced to stop the Russian ombudsperson right in the Greek parliament hallway building,” Denisova wrote on Facebook, adding that the two discussed medical assistance to wounded POW sailors and scheduled medical examination.
“I stressed that examination is not treatment. Vasyl Soroka, Andriy Eyder, and Andriy Artemenko need immediate hospitalization and qualified help to be provided by doctors, not some superficial examinations,” said Denisova.
Read alsoRussian doctors to examine three Ukrainian sailors wounded amid Kerch incident
“I also noted deterioration of health condition of [political prisoners] Pavlo Hryb and Edem Bekirov. They haven't been provided a full-fledged treatment, despite medical reports on their supercritical health condition,” the representative of BP informed.
Denisova stated that the two are seriously ill, while conditions at the detention facilities they are held in are terrible.
"According to examinations carried out by the Rostov Diagnostic Center, both Russian and Ukrainian doctors made conclusions about Hryb's condition. Pavlo urgently requires surgical intervention and treatment. Despite this, the Ukrainian doctor who arrived in Rostov-on-Don on February 18 was not granted access. Even Pavlo’s mother and the Ukrainian consul were denied a visit. His condition could not be assessed because the court hearing was never held,” she added.
"A similar situation with the provision of medical care has unfolded with Eden Bekirov, who is being held in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea. The man was also examined, but his treatment was reduced to three insulin injections per day. At the same time, I still receive reports on deterioration of his health condition," Denisova said.
She expressed deep concern about the state of health of said Ukrainians and requested that the Russian ombudsperson assist in the provision of appropriate medical care.
"Once again, I asked the Russian ombudsperson about her position on prisoner exchange. Moskalkova says she does not have a mandate for this. At the same time, I reminded her that the Russian representative in the Tripartite contact group, Boris Gryzlov, indicated that it's Moskalkova who should deal with the issue," Denisova wrote.
According to the Ukrainian official, "blocking the exchange process and failure to provide an answer on the issue to Ukraine shows that the Russian side shows no interest in the fate of their citizens."
"All this once again confirms that the Russian Federation doesn't seek to comply with the norms of international humanitarian law to ensure human and civil rights and freedoms," the Ukrainian ombudsperson said.
