Over 200 Ukrainian soldiers tortured to death in Russian captivity – AP
Illustrative photo: Russia's war crimes (Getty Images)
More than 200 Ukrainian soldiers died in Russian captivity. Many of them died of torture, Associated Press reports.
Of the more than 5,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war that Russia has repatriated since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 206 have died in captivity.
The agency cites data from the Ukrainian authorities and the results of forensic examinations. Another 245 soldiers, according to the prosecutor's office, were killed by the Russians immediately after surrender.
In many cases, the causes of death indicate torture, negligent treatment, and lack of medical care.
The Associated Press interviewed relatives of 21 dead prisoners of war. Among the causes of death identified in Ukraine are heart failure, tuberculosis, pneumonia, asphyxiation, infections, and blunt force trauma to the head.
In at least one case, the prisoner of war was tortured with electric shocks and beaten before his death. Autopsies also showed signs of gangrene and untreated infections. Some bodies were missing internal organs, which may indicate attempts to conceal the true cause of death.
The UN, human rights activists, and Ukrainian forensic experts point to systemic violence in Russian prisons as a likely cause of many of the deaths. At the same time, experts emphasize that under normal circumstances, most of these soldiers could have been saved.
Russia's war crimes against Ukraine
During a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia systematically violates international humanitarian law by committing numerous war crimes. Russian troops regularly shell civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and important energy facilities.
According to media reports, the intercepted radio conversations and recordings coincide in time with a drone video taken in the Zaporizhzhia region last November. The video shows 6 soldiers lying face down, with at least two of them being shot at point-blank range and one being dragged away.
CNN reports that radio conversations and video footage confirm other instances in which Russian forces executed Ukrainian soldiers who tried to surrender.
