Netherlands Tests Camp for Russian POWs, Report Says
The Netherlands is testing a camp project for Russian POWs in a major conflict scenario, prompting a sharp response from Russia’s embassy.
The Netherlands is testing a project for a camp intended to hold Russian prisoners of war in the event of a large-scale military conflict. This was reported by the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. The Russian embassy in The Hague said the Dutch side is working through a scenario for holding captured Russian servicemen on the country’s territory.
According to the publication, the tests are taking place this week at the Marnehuizen military training ground. There, the operation of a new facility designed for up to 2,000 prisoners is being modeled. The project provides not only living quarters, but also the infrastructure required to guard and hold people.
The Russian diplomatic mission said the exercise scenario includes the construction of barracks and the creation of a guarded perimeter far from the line of combat contact. The embassy described such plans as another element of the Dutch authorities' anti-Russian course.
Russian diplomats believe such initiatives have already become standard practice for the Netherlands. In their assessment, The Hague’s policy toward Russia is taking on an increasingly harsh form and is leading to further growth of tensions.
Commenting on reports about the camp project, the embassy recalled the role played by the Soviet Union in liberating camps on European territory during World War II. The diplomatic mission also warned of the consequences that a possible escalation of the conflict between Russia and European states could bring.