"Moscow halts the process": Russian officials claim they are allegedly ready to exchange 630 prisoners of war.

The Russian Federation has expressed its readiness to exchange 630 Ukrainian prisoners of war. However, this may be a provocation and propaganda.

This statement was made by Andrey Yusov, the deputy head of the Coordination Headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war, in a comment to RBK-Ukraine.

What preceded this

Recently, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, claimed that Russians are allegedly prepared to conduct a prisoner exchange with Ukraine in a format of 630 for 630. Zakharova stated that the list for the exchange was supposedly handed over to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmitry Lubinets, and the deputy head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, who is one of the leaders of the Coordination Headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war.

"The current list includes 630 Ukrainian prisoners of war that Russia is ready to immediately hand over to Kyiv on parity terms," Zakharova said.

Ukraine's reaction

The Coordination Headquarters for the treatment of prisoners of war believes that such statements from Zakharova may be yet another propaganda move.

"Russians have repeatedly utilized propaganda tools, including in the Ukrainian media space, to sow discord and strife among the families of Defenders, using blatant falsehoods," Yusov stated.

He noted that such statements from Russia are not new, yet they still do not lead to any real actions. Despite public grandstanding, the official mechanisms that could initiate the exchange process are simply ignored by the Russian side.

Ukraine has repeatedly confirmed its readiness to conduct exchanges. In particular, this includes:

• the repatriation of severely wounded and seriously ill individuals;
• the release of women;
• the return of prisoners of war in the format of "all for all";
• the unconditional release of enslaved civilian Ukrainians.

Yusov emphasized that it is Russia's stance that blocks the processes of prisoner exchanges. Official proposals sent by Ukraine through diplomatic channels remain unanswered, and loud statements about "readiness for exchange" often turn out to be mere propaganda elements.

It should be noted that the Russian side ignores the process of forming and operating international mixed medical commissions, despite this mechanism being outlined in the Geneva Conventions.

"We are ready for exchanges; the only obstacle to their implementation is the inaction of the Russian side. Unfortunately, loud statements do not equate to a genuine desire to act," Yusov stressed.

In particular, this year Ukraine proposed dozens of humanitarian initiatives for the mutual return of prisoners, which were ignored by the Russian aggressor, who is actually uninterested in the return of even its own mercenaries and occupiers.

Prisoner exchanges

In June, a strategy for the return of prisoners was presented at the headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief in Ukraine. It was proposed that Ukraine would expand the negotiating group responsible for preparing prisoner exchanges, which would include six additional structures.

According to the head of Ukrainian intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, the priority in future exchanges of prisoners from the Russian Federation will be severely wounded individuals, women, and all those who defended "Azovstal".