Ukrainian prisoners of war are tortured for many months in Russian captivity. This is stated in the report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Ukraine.


In the current report, the Commission focused on cases of torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and described the horrific treatment of them in several places of detention in the Russian Federation. 


The report states that the Russian authorities tortured civilians whom they suspected of collaborating with the Ukrainian armed forces in order to obtain information. In the case of prisoners of war, the perpetrators also used torture to punish and intimidate them.


The International Commission found similar methods of torture in different places of detention. Together, these elements confirm that the Russian authorities systematically used torture.


In the Russian Federation, prisoners of war were tortured by members of the "special forces" units of the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation (FPS) and by regular staff of this service who are prison guards. Victims reported that interrogations were also conducted by FSB officers. 


The testimonies of the victims show the ruthlessness and cruelty of this treatment, which caused the victims severe pain and suffering during their prolonged detention. All this was done with blatant disregard for human dignity and caused long-term physical and mental trauma.


One Ukrainian serviceman who was detained and tortured by Russian authorities in several places of detention described his experience in a penal colony in Donskoy, Tula region, where he was constantly tortured, suffering broken bones, broken teeth, and gangrene on his injured foot.


"I lost all hope and the will to live," the soldier said, adding that he tried to commit suicide, but the perpetrators started beating him.


After his release from captivity, the soldier was hospitalized 36 times.