According to new data from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners died in Russian captivity after the Russian invasion, Politico reports.
The exchanges between Russia and Ukraine resulted in the return of about 3,600 Ukrainian prisoners of war. Thousands of prisoners of war are still being held in Russian torture chambers.
At least 177 Ukrainian prisoners have died in Russian captivity.
‘The more time they spend in Russian prisons, the closer they are to death,’ said Viktoriya Tsymbalyuk, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War at the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
She stressed that due to the lack of international oversight, the actual number of deaths is likely to be much higher, as not all bodies are returned and many are not even confirmed by Russia as prisoners of war.
The report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights states that the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war was ‘widespread and systematic’ and was ordered by the Kremlin.
The report indicates that since March 2023, 11 deaths of Ukrainians have been recorded, as well as an unspecified number of suicide attempts and ‘one documented case of suicide, allegedly due to repeated torture’.The UN also listed cases of torture of Ukrainian prisoners: sticking needles under prisoners' fingernails, strangulation and threats of animal attacks, as well as forced singing of Russian patriotic songs and watching others being tortured.
Tsymbalyuk also adds that Russia refuses to confirm the presence of Ukrainian prisoners of war and their whereabouts.