Ukraine’s human rights commissioner reports cases of rape and torture of Ukrainian POWs

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Lyudmila Denisova has met with Ukrainian soldiers released from captivity, who told her about cases of rape and torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war.

It is impossible to promptly verify reports provided by the warring sides during an ongoing conflict.

The majority of Ukrainian servicemen who Denisova has met with were captured near Mariupol. According to the prisoners, while they were being transported to another location, Russian soldiers tied their hands with ropes, taped their eyes shut and put bags over their heads. Denisova notes that Ukrainian prisoners of war were tortured while in captivity: the Russians threatened to kill them, degraded and beat them.

The human rights commissioner reports that officers of the Azov battalion, declared a Nazi stronghold by the Russian propaganda, had to endure the most severe forms of torture. During interrogation, they were forced to kneel, after which they were hit with gunstocks aimed at open wounds and toes. Russian soldiers tortured them with pliers, tied a noose around their necks, used electric shocks and kicked them with their feet.

Besides, the Ukrainian servicemen stated that Russians had injected them with an unknown drug starting with the letter M, after which they lost consciousness and experienced memory loss. The Ukrainians added that they were forced to recite a poem dubbed “Forgive us, our dear Russians”, the Russian national anthem and the history of the Russian flag and coat of arms.

Female prisoners of war who were held at prison facilities in Donetsk said that they were kept in overcrowded cells with each cell housing up to 20 people. They were not provided with basic hygiene items, nor did they have access to a shower. Female prisoners also report cases of rape by Russian soldiers, Denisova said.

Yesterday, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer to give the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) access to prisoners of war.