The wife of a Ukrainian POW says her family and others like them have become pawns in a political game between Russia and Ukraine

• The wife of a Ukrainian POW said families like hers have become pawns in a geopolitical game.
• Russia "wants to discredit our government" and "cause havoc," Valentyna Tkachenko told Politico Europe.
• Russia has refused to swap prisoners of war since August, a Ukrainian official said.

The wife of a Ukrainian prisoner of war said her family and others like them have become pawns in a political game between Russia and Ukraine.

Valentyna Tkachenko, a mother-of-two from northern Ukraine, made the statement to Politico Europe.