When Russian military authorities couldn't provide any information to Irina Krynina about her boyfriend who went missing while fighting in Ukraine, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
She reached out to a Ukrainian hotline that confirmed he had been captured and Krynina took the bold step of traveling to Ukraine to meet him.
"Don’t expect any help from the Russian side," she said. "There are so many POWs without an official status on the books in Russia."
Their uneasy and emotional reunion was organized by the Ukrainian NGO Want To Find, which helps Russian prisoners of war connect with their families.
Krynina's partner appeared moved as she took his hand. "Why did you come?" he whispered through tears.
Ukraine offers some POWs their freedom if they refuse to return to Russia but Krynina's partner chose to wait for a prisoner exchange so he can return home.
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'I Love You. I Found You': Helping Russian Families Reconnect With POWs In Ukraine
Even though the couple's relationship has ended, Krynina has remained in Ukraine and now works to support prisoner swaps and help families on both sides reunite.
"When I arrived, I made it clear right away -- I wasn’t going back [to Russia]," she said. "I didn’t want to go back."
Krynina established her own organization, Step In, that works with Want To Find to coordinate reunions between Russian families and Russian POWs in Ukraine.
She says her group has helped more than 600 Russian prisoners of war return home. But initially, many Russian families were hesitant to contact her.
SEE ALSO: Hundreds Of POWs Freed In Latest Russia-Ukraine Prisoner Swap"When I was just starting out, not many people reached out to me. I’ll be honest -- not many at all," she said. "Because people were still afraid. Now I just can’t keep up anymore. It’s overwhelming."
In addition to arranging exchanges of photos and letters, Krynina sets up video calls between Russian prisoners and family members. For some, it's the first contact they've had in years.
"Son, don’t worry. We’re strong. We’ll get through this. I love you. I found you -- yes, I did," said one Russian mother to her son in a Ukrainian prison. "Never be sad. I’m always with you. I pray for you, my dear son."
Fear Of Being Called A Traitor
Worried about being labeled as traitors, some Russians, however, are reluctant to cooperate with Krynina and the Ukrainian side.
"One girl wrote me that after the [Ukrainian prison] camp called her, she ran straight to the FSB (Russia's Federal Security Service) to report it," said Krynina.
"Her brother asked for a care package. And she said, 'I'm not sending him anything. I’ll end up in prison if I do.'"
Krynina has also played an important role in helping arrange prisoner swaps. She was there for the recent March 19 exchange that saw 175 POWs from both Ukraine and Russia change hands.
"The main goal of our movement is an unconditional all-for-all exchange. That’s what we’re fighting for," she said. "Because every exchange means one more Ukrainian comes home."