Russian Forces Allegedly Sell Ukrainian POWs to Chechen Units

Paramilitary groups aligned with Russia, particularly those under Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, largely lack the means to capture Ukrainian prisoners directly due to their minimal involvement in combat. These units, eager to exchange prisoners with Ukraine to secure the release of captured Chechen soldiers, have been purchasing Ukrainian captives from the regular Russian forces, as reported by the ISW, referencing information from the British newspaper "The Times."

"The Times" highlighted that while the 1949 Geneva Convention governing the treatment of war prisoners does not explicitly categorize such unofficial trades as a breach of international law, these actions are still highly likely to be illegal. The convention prohibits any "special agreements" that worsen prisoners' conditions.

As of the end of January, over 8,000 Ukrainian nationals are held in Russian captivity, which includes more than 1,600 civilians, shared Yuriy Taraniuk, a representative of the Ukrainian coordination headquarters for the exchange of prisoners of war.