Ukrainians fear prisoner swaps with Russia may end plane disaster

Russia and Ukraine are blaming each other for the crash of a Russian military plane. Families are worried that prisoner swaps may not happen and their loved ones may remain in jail.

Simple words: People are arguing about even the most basic things. Russian officials said that the plane was shot down by Kyiv on Wednesday. They also said that there were 65 Ukrainian prisoners on the plane, and they were going for a prisoner swap. Ukraine said they don’t have proof of prisoners of war and think Russia is messing with their minds. It said that something was supposed to happen on Wednesday.

Both sides didn’t show proof for their accusations, leaving family and friends feeling exposed and without any explanations. Many Ukrainians were already very worried before the incident and hadn’t heard anything from their family members in captivity for months.

Yevheniia Synelnyk’s brother has been held captive for more than a year and a half. She was sad and stressed on Wednesday because different news stories made her worry.

She said, “You don’t know which one is true. ”

The next day, feeling very tired.

“I’m too tired to cry anymore,” she said.

Synelnyk is a member of a group called the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families. The group was made in June 2022, after about 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers gave up to Russia because of the Ukrainian president’s orders during the attack on the Azovstal steel mill in May. The association says that about 1,500 workers from the steel mill are still being held prisoner. Ukrainian officials said that many people captured in other battles are being held in Russia.

Yevheniia Synelnyk says that the worries of the prisoners’ families are getting bigger because the prisoners who have come back are telling stories of being tortured and mistreated.

Now, lots of families are worried that the trades will end, said Synelnyk. When soldiers came back, they would tell prisoners’ families about other captives. She hasn’t heard anything about her brother for a year.

The families helped each other on Wednesday.

Synelnyk said that we need to stay strong and be together because we don’t have any other option. He also said that they will continue to plan and hold rallies. “As long as people pay attention to them, they are still alive. ”

Illia, a 21-year-old ex-prisoner of war, goes by the name Smurf and doesn’t share his last name for safety reasons. He goes to the rallies every week and tries to never miss one. He thinks it’s the least he can do for the people who are still stuck in prison.

He clearly remembers the last day at the prison in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky in the Rostov region. In FebruaryHe heard his name in 2023. He didn’t know that he had been put on the lists to trade. First, he and a group of other prisoners of war traveled in a vehicle for three hours. Afterwards, his eyes were covered and he was taken on a plane for about four hours. The plane stopped to pick up more prisoners of war. The person could not see them, but he heard the sound of their hands being taped. The journey ended with a four-hour bus ride to the meeting point.

“I can’t describe these feelings with words, but I will never forget the moment I realized I had been traded,” he said.

After he came back, he did exercises to get better. But the memories of being trapped for ten months still affect his everyday life. He has been losing weight and the doctors don’t know why. He now weighs only 44 kilograms, which is 97 pounds.

Illia said he believes that the incident could harm future interactions, which would spoil many hopes.

“It’s what every prisoner of war dreams of,” Illia said.