The OHCHR conducted interviews with 60 former Ukrainian POWs who had recently been released from Russian captivity, where they had been held for periods ranging from several weeks to nearly two years.
Their accounts confirmed previous reports about the inhumane and degrading treatment of prisoners in Russia, which violates international law. The
report, published on the OHCHR website on Tuesday, describes instances of torture and other forms of inhumane treatment endured by the captured soldiers.
Torture
“Those who spent more than a few weeks in captivity and were transferred to more established facilities also consistently recounted torture or ill-treatment in other situations, for example during violent ‘admission procedures,’ everyday inspection of cells, and walks to the courtyard and shower. In these situations,
guards often beat the POWs, used stun guns to give them electric shocks, forced them to stand for prolonged periods in stress and painful positions, or sometimes exposed them to cold by forcing them to walk naked and barefoot outside in the winter period,” the report described.
It added that “several POWs reported the practice of being forbidden to use the toilet, except when given permission, often over a loudspeaker. POWs in some facilities also described a practice of sleep deprivation, so-called ‘counting’, during which each POW in a cell had to say out loud a number, in turn, all night long. Many also recounted loud music or noises blaring from loudspeakers for prolonged periods, including during the night.”
Executions
The Office received information on 12 executions that resulted in the deaths of at least 32 Ukrainian prisoners between December 1, 2023, and February 29, 2024. OHCHR independently verified three such cases, leading to the deaths of seven Ukrainian soldiers.
The report further stated that “in eight of the reported cases, videos published on social media showed what appears to be Russian servicemen killing Ukrainian POWs who had laid down their weapons and using other captured Ukrainian POWs as human shields.”
These revelations of atrocities committed against Ukrainian prisoners by aggressor forces have been surfacing since the beginning of the Kremlin’s invasion in February 2022.
One of the most notorious cases was revealed in March of the previous year when the identity of Oleksandr Matsiyevsky, executed in late December 2022 for shouting “Glory to Ukraine!” was confirmed. The murdered soldier has become a symbol of resistance against Russia in Ukrainian society.
Russian POW treatment by Ukraine
UN investigators also interviewed 44 prisoners from Russia.
The report acknowledges the consistent efforts of the Ukrainian government to provide internment conditions for Russian prisoners that comply with international standards.
However, it also mentions credible reports of torture and mistreatment of Russian POWs, particularly in temporary detention facilities following their evacuation from combat zones.
