Ukraine claims Russian troops holding their commander hostage to prevent him from escaping

As the Russia-Ukraine war gains momentum in eastern Europe, a phone conversation between an invader and his wife has been overheard by Ukrainian intelligence. The intercept was made public on Telegram by the press service of Ukraine's Chief Directorate of Intelligence, Ukrinform reported. The soldier has informed his wife about the several casualties as well as the capture of a Russian commander prisoner who attempted to escape the front lines. 

According to the Ukrinform report, a Donetsk People’s Republic invader said, “The fourth battalion, they took their commander prisoner. They forced him to stay with them so that he wouldn't flee.” He also added, “They have a lot of wounded. We also loaded the vehicles yesterday. They are ready to escape. An order was given to stay. Yesterday, more than twenty wounded Russians were taken away".  

Furthermore, previously, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's Chief Directorate of Intelligence stated that a large number of Russian security agency workers had started to submit resignation letters. 

Meanwhile, the Russian soldiers have detained nearly 8 mayors from Ukrainian cities in seized territory, according to the Association of Ukrainian Cities, which was cited by Kyiv Independent. Ihor Kolykhaiev, the mayor of communities in the occupied Kherson Oblast, is one of the eight authorities. 

European Court instructed Russia to protect rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war

Apart from this, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg has instructed Kremlin to "protect the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs)," directing Kremlin forces to guarantee the safety, dignity, as well as respect of the captured Ukrainian soldiers while also providing them with the necessary medical care. The ECHR has also requested that Moscow must guarantee respect for Yaroslav Anatoliyovych Oliynichenko (a captured Ukrainian soldier)'s Convention rights and give him the medical help which he requires. 

According to media reports, when there is "a real risk of irreparable damage" during the conflict, the ECHR is permitted to mandate "provisional measures" under Article 39 of its rules. After his wife filed an appeal, the European court ordered the Russian government to give information within a week on the status of Ukrainian soldier Oliynichenko's custody and his well-being. The European Court of Human Rights has further requested Russia to make sure that the two Britons who were held as POWs in Ukraine "do not face the death penalty.” 

In addition to this, the embattled Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Saturday night that "Russian must remember that Ukraine cannot be broken." The President made this statement when Russians continued to pound areas of Ukraine in the previous week, including a string of fatal airstrikes on Odesa that left 21 people dead. Last Monday, a Russian missile that hit a mall killed roughly 19 people. 

(Image: AP)