The article discusses how Russia has been using detained Ukrainians as leverage in prisoner exchanges, instead of releasing captured soldiers or activists. The returnees were often held in harsh conditions and subjected to physical and psychological abuse.
Some notable points from the article include:
* Guards would ask which hand hurt from tight handcuffs before shocking it with a taser.
* Many detainees only learned they were part of a prisoner exchange when they reached the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
* Some returnees expressed mixed feelings about their inclusion in the exchange, with some feeling that it would have been better to release captured soldiers or activists instead.
The head of “Protection of Prisoners of Ukraine” organization acknowledged that this category of returnees is viewed less favorably by the public, but defended their inclusion in the exchange, emphasizing that these individuals are Ukrainian citizens who refused to take up arms against their homeland.
