During the prisoner exchange on April 16, Ukraine handed over five more Muslim prisoners to Russia. Ukraine initiated the exchange of all prisoners of war who profess Islam on the occasion of Ramadan earlier and has already handed over Muslims, while Russia has not handed over any Ukrainian soldiers who adhere to this religion.

However, the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, refused to meet with the released prisoners because "a Chechen soldier should have no reason to be in captivity", and he also sent the Chechens just transferred by Ukraine to the frontline. This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

"During the last exchange, Ukraine handed over five more Muslim prisoners to Russia. On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, Ukraine took the initiative to return all Muslim prisoners from both sides. Unfortunately, there was no response. Russia has not returned a single Ukrainian Muslim prisoner of war," the Coordination Headquarters said.

They also stated that the liberated Muslims faced surprising neglect in their homeland.

"In their homeland, the Russian Muslims returned from captivity were not received with much hospitality and without due respect. In particular, Ramzan Kadyrov refused to meet with the released prisoners and said that all those who were captured should return to the front. This once again demonstrates the aggressor state's dismissive attitude towards its military. The international community should pay attention to the inhumane attitude of the aggressor state even to its own military who are returning from captivity," the Coordination Headquarters said.

Indeed, Kadyrov flatly refused to meet with his fellow believers released from captivity.

"Five Chechen fighters returned to Grozny from Ukrainian captivity.... I believe that a Chechen soldier should have no reason to be in captivity. There may be different excuses, but whatever the case, the warrior must prove that he had no other choice. And he has to prove it by returning to the front line. That is why I did not meet with those who returned," Kadyrov said.

Moreover, the head of Chechnya sent the newly released men back to the front to "prove" that they were not cowards.

"This is a matter of honour not only for the individual soldier, but also for the honour of the entire unit, the entire regiment in which the soldiers serve. Let them prove that they did not avoid the battle, were not afraid to meet the enemy and did not look for an opportunity to lay down their arms and escape from the bullets," the "Putin's infantryman" said.

He also said that an hour before they were captured, these Chechens got in touch and complained that they were running out of ammunition. Therefore, Kadyrov, whose tiktok warriors like to make videos of random shooting at bushes and empty windows of houses, is convinced that these particular Kadyrovites had to "think about every shot, save every round".

Earlier, Ukraine handed over two Muslim prisoners of the occupiers in an exchange on April 10. This was done on the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends this year on April 21. Thus, the Coordination Headquarters stressed, our state demonstrates respect for this religion and humane treatment of prisoners of war.

On Easter, April 16, Ukraine returned 130 of its soldiers from captivity: 92 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 20 soldiers of the Territorial Defence, 11 National Guardsmen, three border guards, two representatives of the Navy and the State Special Transport Service.

Most of the liberated soldiers defended Ukraine in the Bakhmut and Soledar areas, as well as in the Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Luhansk regions. At the same time, 48 of the 130 Ukrainian defenders released on April 16 were considered missing.

Only verified information is available in our Obozrevatel Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!