Ukraine received the body of British Paul Urey, who died in captivity of the DPR “from illness and stress”; the ombudsman reported traces of torture

After a month and a half of negotiations, Russia returned to Ukraine the body of Briton Paul Urey, who died “from illness and stress” in captivity of the self-proclaimed DPR, said Dmitry Lubinets, Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

“There are missing body parts, numerous cuts and signs of torture,” the ombudsman described Yuri’s remains. According to Lubinets, the final cause of death of the Briton will be determined by a forensic examination.

“The British Embassy in Ukraine has been duly informed. As an ombudsman, today I can responsibly say that the death was violent. A person simply cannot withstand such torture. I saw a photo of the body of the deceased and there is no doubt,” Lubinets said.

In April, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine opened a criminal case due to the disappearance of two British volunteers who were passing a checkpoint near Zaporozhye. According to the department, they were kidnapped by Russian soldiers.

The Guardian wrote that we are talking about Paul Urey and Dylan Healy. The organization Presidium Network , which provides humanitarian assistance in conflict zones, said that volunteers were detained while trying to evacuate a family from Dneprudny.

In May, a member of the Russian-appointed administration of the Zaporozhye region, Vladimir Rogov, published a video with Yuri, who allegedly had photographs of a blown up bridge on his phone. In the video, the handcuffed Briton says that he was a volunteer, and took photographs of the bridge in order to transmit the pictures to journalists “as evidence of the crimes of the Ukrainian army.”

According to the self-proclaimed DPR, Paul Yuri “led combat operations, and was also involved in recruiting and training mercenaries for the armed forces of Ukraine, and was captured in April of this year while trying to break through a checkpoint controlled by DPR soldiers.”

Yuri's death became known on July 15. “Despite the gravity of the alleged crime, the DPR provided him with appropriate assistance,” said Daria Morozova, the ombudswoman of the self-proclaimed republic.

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she was shocked by the news of the volunteer’s death, and added that “Russia must take full responsibility for this.”