Almost a year of the project “I Want to be with My Own”: only one convicted of high treason has gone to Russia
23 May 2025 14:24
For almost a year of the Ukrainian project “I want to go home”, which provides for the exchange of convicted of treason and collaboration for Ukrainian prisoners of war, only one person has left for Russia.
This was reported by the project team, refuting Russian propaganda statements about alleged massive “repressions” against the so-called “political prisoners,” a term used in Russia to refer to Ukrainian convicted traitors, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“I want to return to my people” emphasized that Ukraine not only does not exert any pressure on such persons, but also provides an opportunity for voluntary departure to Russia on condition of exchange for Ukrainians held by the Russians. Since July 2024, the project’s website has published about 300 profiles of collaborators who have expressed a desire to go to Russia.
“However, as of May 22, 2025, only one convict has been transferred to Russia under the project. The rest – both those who filled out the questionnaire on the website and those who did not consent to the publication – are still waiting: some for months, and some for years,” the statement said.
Representatives of the project call on the Russian side to take back its citizens who have voluntarily expressed their willingness to leave and explicitly call Russia “theirs.”
As a reminder, the project “I Want to Go Home” was launched in July 2024. Its goal is to create an open platform that publishes information about those convicted of collaborating with the occupiers, as well as to provide them with the opportunity to formally consent to the exchange for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
