By Elizabeth Piper

KYIV (Reuters – It was five years of service in the Ukrainian Army that drove Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Veselchuk to pursue the release of all Russian prisoners of war.

Vereshchuk is 42 and now has to negotiate prisoner swaps for Russia as well as humanitarian corridors from besieged areas. Vereshchuk sheds tears while describing the treatment of some female soldiers that she managed to return to Ukraine.

This is just a glimpse at the extent of her job, but it is quickly overshadowed by her anger over Russia’s invasion and its destruction of her country. She claims she wants to remain a part Europe.

She said, “If I were holding a weapon in battle, I would probably have saved at least 10-20 people.” She said she could now save women officers from being imprisoned, when she was asked if she preferred fighting.

She announced Saturday on Telegram the third prisoner swap with Russia. This secured the release of 26 Ukrainians including 10 women.

She says that 1,700 civilians and soldiers are being held in Russia by pro-Russian separatists. But it’s the treatment of 500 women who bother her the most.

“They make them stand up, and won’t let them lie down. They force them to shave their heads and make sure they are dressed appropriately for the checkups. They take away human dignity. She humiliates their human dignity.

They want us scared. They want us crying and being victims. We aren’t. We are not.

Moscow claims it provides Ukrainian prisoners of war “with all necessary” and “highly qualified health care,” in compliance with international law. Russia, however, accuses Ukraine for torturing its POWs. Kyiv rejects the claim and says that it upholds international laws.

Rare Chance to Win

Vereshchuk, wearing army fatigues, says that her number one priority is to free not only Ukrainian soldiers, but hundreds of civilians including journalists, priests and activists who are held alongside criminals in prison cells.

This poses problems. Moscow is willing to exchange like for like, but Kyiv claims it does not have any Russian civilians.

Russia wants these people to be used as an exchange money.

She added that “the Russians couldn’t forgive us for wanting to be like Europe”

Like President Volodymyr Zeleskiy, Vereshchuk calls for additional sanctions to Russia in order to allow Ukraine the chance of winning this war. Moscow refers it as “special operation” that aims at “denazifying” and demilitarizing its neighbor.

Late last year, she was appointed minister of the occupied territory in eastern Ukraine and spent eight years speaking with those in Donetsk or Luhansk that have been controlled by pro-Russian separatist governments.

Vereshchuk feels certain that those areas will be returned to Ukraine soon or later. For the moment, Vereshchuk must focus her efforts on exiling as many Ukrainians as possible from Eastern Ukraine where Moscow has been focusing its attacks.

While she does not have an idea of how long it will take to evacuate people from areas that are likely to be under attack soon, she is able to draw some useful lessons from the events at Mariupol in southern Russia. The port, now completely surrounded by Russian troops, has almost been destroyed.

According to her, “This responsibility lies with Russia.” She denied that there were any additional actions the Ukrainian government could take in order to save the Mariupol population. Mariupol was home for more than half a billion people before the war. She added that although 120,000 have been evacuated by Ukraine from Mariupol so far, 100,000 are still stuck in the city.

Vereshchuk is optimistic of eventual victory, however: “Right now for the first time ever in Ukrainian history we have a rare chance to win.”