Russia Establishes Network of Prisons for Ukrainian Detainees

The Kremlin has implemented a system of camps across Russia and the occupied territories, where thousands of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel are being held, enduring daily torture and psychological abuse.

This information was reported by the Associated Press.

The publication conducted a series of interviews with numerous individuals, including 20 former inmates, prisoners of war, and families of those still in captivity. AP also had the opportunity to speak with two Ukrainian officers and a member of the government's negotiation team.

In their investigation, journalists relied on publicly available data, including satellite imagery, social media, government documents, and copies of letters provided by the Red Cross.

Former prisoners shared with AP numerous accounts of torture, including electric shocks, beatings, and simulated strangulation. Almost all interviewees confirmed witnessing deaths and killings. Another group testified that captives are coerced by the Russian side into forced labor, which involves tasks such as digging trenches and pits for the burial of Russian soldiers.

According to AP, the number of civilians held in Russian custody is estimated to be in the thousands. Russian human rights defender Vladimir Osechkin suggests this number to be around eight thousand, with four thousand detained in Russia itself and an equal number in the occupied territories. It is worth noting that civilian individuals may be apprehended on the streets of occupied cities for speaking Ukrainian or being suspected of resisting the occupation authorities.

Furthermore, in January of this year, AP obtained a confidential government document revealing Russia's plans to establish 25 new colonies within Russia and an additional 6 in the Ukrainian occupied territories by 2026.

Moreover, in May, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree enabling the deportation of individuals located in conflict areas to Russia, effectively legitimizing the mass forced expulsion of Ukrainians.

Recalling the end of last month, the United Nations published a recent report on human rights violations during Russia's armed assault starting from February 24, 2022.

The presented document includes numerous verified cases of extrajudicial killings in over 30 populated areas of Ukraine, instances of sexual violence, including group rape, as well as episodes of torture, inhumane treatment of detainees, and denial of medical assistance.