Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Zolkin continues to shed light on the "Want to Go to My Own" initiative, a project involving Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Office of the Ombudsman, which facilitates complex exchanges, including the transfer of collaborators to Russia and the return of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).
During a recent exchange, Zolkin interacted with returning Ukrainian soldiers who shared harrowing details of the psychological warfare they endured while in Russian captivity. The soldiers recounted how their captors relentlessly fed them false information, claiming that all of Ukraine had been captured by Russia. Specific assertions included that the Donetsk region had "long been Russian," and that Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts were also firmly under Russian control.
This disinformation campaign was particularly potent given the POWs' prolonged isolation from reliable news sources. Some soldiers had been in captivity for over three years, completely cut off from the outside world, with no access to newspapers, television, or radio, making them vulnerable to the occupiers' narratives. They described the harsh conditions of their imprisonment and the constant pressure to believe the Russian version of events.
The reality of their return, however, starkly contrasted with these lies. Buses carrying the freed soldiers were met by emotional crowds of Ukrainians lining the roads, waving national flags and offering a heartfelt welcome back to their homeland. Representatives from Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War were on hand to provide immediate support, update them on the current situation, and gather crucial information that could help locate other Ukrainians still in captivity. These exchanges, while emotionally charged, are vital, and Zolkin's work highlights not only the physical toll of captivity but also the intense psychological pressure faced by Ukrainian prisoners, and their remarkable resilience.
