“Pen, paper, and a gun to the head”: how Russia turns Ukrainian POWs and civilians into “terrorists”

In December 2024, Russian ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova released a list containing the names of 630 captives whom Ukraine “refuses to take back.” Michael Savva notes that for the first time, the list includes 14 civilians. The human rights activist considers this to be the first official admission of a war crime by the Russian authorities: they are using Ukrainian civilians as hostages in an attempt to bring back their soldiers from captivity.

The international response to Russia taking Ukrainian hostages remains fragmented and weak, says Evgeniya Chirikova, a Russian human rights activist and former opposition politician. Together with her associates, Chirikova has been trying for years to draw the attention of European politicians and Russian activists to the problem. Despite regular UN reports on torture and mistreatment of captive Ukrainians, no systemic measures have followed. Only certain countries, such as Estonia, Finland, and France, pay notable attention to the issue of torture and imprisonment of Ukrainians.

“This is a real disaster. Russia has built a system of terror against Ukrainians, military and civilian alike. All that matters is their nationality. We need a public discussion in free countries about the terror happening in the occupied territories,” Chirikova says.

To draw attention to the problem of Ukrainian hostages and their release, the “People First!” International Campaign was launched, advocating for the release of individuals forcibly held as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The main goal of the campaign, according to Mikhail Savva, is to prevent the issue of the hostages' release from getting short shrift in possible negotiations: “We realize such a threat exists, as modern politics is very profit-oriented. People and human rights are far from being anyone's top priority.”

So far, more than 40 organizations have joined the initiative, including the Kharkiv Human Rights Group, the Moscow Helsinki Group, and the Memorial Human Rights Center. After the election of Donald Trump, the “People First!” website posted an appeal: “We urge the new US administration along with all international bodies and governments involved in or having influence on negotiations urgently to address these acute humanitarian issues.” Savva adds that the campaign is advocating an all-for-all exchange of prisoners of war from both sides and the unconditional release of Ukrainian civilians.

Chirikova believes calls for exchanges and negotiations are not enough to solve the problem of abductions of Ukrainians: “The only way to stop terror is to liberate the occupied territories. We need F-35 [fighter jets], not negotiations.” Savva at least partially agrees: “One does not preclude the other. It is necessary to increase arms deliveries and achieve a victory for Ukraine on the battlefield, as this will improve its negotiating position.”