russian prisoners of war in ukraine

During interviews with him and two other POWs, a guard, a psychologist from the pre-trial detention center, and other prisoners were present. [100] Mid-June, Davyd Arakhamia, Ukraine's chief negotiator with Russia, told Axios that between 200 and 500 Ukrainian soldiers were killed every day. In some cases, the investigators found that Ukrainian forces tortured Russian troops, though those incidents were less frequent. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Several POWs released from various places of detention described being forced to consume their food in a harmful or humiliating manner. Matilda Bogner, Head of the UNs human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, said that, over the past few months, her team had interviewed 159 prisoners of war or POWs - both men and women, held by Russia, and 175 male prisoners of war held by Ukraine. A soldier then shoots him in the head twice. The soldiers were sitting ducks, sent forth by Russian commanders to act essentially as human cannon fodder in an assault. Ukraine and Russia on Thursday exchanged prisoners of war for the first time in the conflict, exactly one month after the fighting began. One soldier was wounded and screamed, Help me! [380] On 20 May, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that 2,439 Ukrainian soldiers had been taken prisoner over the previous five days as a result of the surrender of the last defenders of Mariupol, entrenched inside the Azovstal Iron and Steel Works. Investigators said more than 80% of the former Ukrainian prisoners of war interviewed complained about the insufficient amount or poor quality of food. In an interview with DW, the head of the UN Mission for Human Rights in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, said that the conditions of detention for Russian prisoners of war were satisfactory overall. Ukrainian POWs have said that they were frequently subjected to prolonged beatings, threats, electric shocks and dog attacks. Many are taking the deadly gamble. He was captured on his first human wave assault. They said their treatment was not only used to coerce them to give military information or statements about alleged crimes but to intimidate and humiliate them on a daily basis. [+] Ukraine on the 1st anniversary of the Ukraine - Russia war in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., United States on February 25, 2023. Who is Nigerias president-elect Bola Tinubu? [164] He was released on 28 October,[165] and reached Ukrainian-controlled territory by 14 December.[166]. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. In the interview, he admitted to dealing marijuana and meth, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2020. 'Look for Your Own'), appeared aimed in part at undermining morale and support for the war in Russia and was quickly blocked by the Russian government's media regulator the day the initiative began at the request of Russia's Prosecutor-General's Office. Relatives mourn the death of Fathullo Narzulloev, a Tajik convict who was killed in Ukraine. The soldiers arrived at the front straight from Russias penal colony system, which is rife with abuse and where obedience to harsh codes of conduct in a violent setting is enforced by prison gangs and guards alike. But yet it has happened. But if you survive this, I've got your back. Interviews with former Wagner soldiers at the Ukrainian detention center aligned with these descriptions of the fighting and shed light on a violent, harrowing experience for Russian soldiers. [90][91][92], According to BBC News Russian and the Mediazona news website, out of 15,136 Russian soldiers and contractors whose deaths they had documented by 24 February 2023, 11.6 percent (1,754) were officers, while 13.2 percent (1,996) were Motorized Rifle Troops and 10.3 percent (1,552) were members of the Russian Airborne Forces (VDV). There are no official figures on how many Russian soldiers are detained in Ukraine. The roots of Russia's invasion of Ukraine go back decades and run deep. And they all said to us, "We could see from this guy that he was one of us. Some women said they were ordered to undress, bend over and touch their feet while guards beat their backs with batons, according to the report. And not long after one of these investigations came out, her husband was just arriving home to their apartment when [an] unknown assailant appeared, stabbed him in the leg with a syringe and ran off, and he then collapsed. Others said they had to eat from dirty dishes or dishes with detergent residue, which caused them digestive problems. Audio interview produced and edited by: Amy Salit and Thea Chaloner. It's these prisoners. BBC investigators attempted to biometrically match the face of one of the men in the video, who can be seen facing the camera with a distinctive beard. [268] In some locations villagers kept track of the deceased, such as in Yahidne, a village north of Kyiv, where they used a school basement wall to write the names of the deceased while under Russian control. Even if you've got 20 years left on your sentence, if you come with [Wagner Group for] six months, you will be free. His unit tried to return to Russia, but the commander forbade it. American mercenary John McIntyre, who served in the foreign legion of Ukraine and went over to the side of Russia, said in an interview with the TV channel RT February 28, as Ukrainian militants tortured prisoners of war. [69][70], On 21 September 2022, Russia's Ministry of Defence confirmed that 5,937 Russian soldiers had been killed in combat. Kyiv, Ukraine CNN On March 8, three Ukrainian military helicopters were shot down as they returned from a combat mission inside Russian-occupied territory. WebDenis Pushilin, the Moscow-backed head of the part of Ukraine's Donetsk region that is under Russian control, said earlier that a prisoner swap with Kyiv was taking place, Killed by a quadcopter dropped explosive device on a vehicle at the Troebortnoye border checkpoint, in Russia's Bryansk Region, Includes soldiers, border guards, police officers and 9 foreign fighters from the. Ukraine's Defense Ministry also said Russian medics are routinely refusing to give medical aid to soldiers suffering from HIV or hepatitis. In the early phases of thewar, the Russian Army had copious armored vehicles, artillery and other heavy weaponry but relatively few soldiers on the battlefield. At least 55 of the war-related child deaths were from the Kyiv area and another 34 were from Kharkiv. Initially, the known number of Ukrainian military casualties varied widely due to the Ukrainian Army drastically understating its casualties,[17] as reported by medics, activists and soldiers on the ground, as well as at least one lawmaker. New hurdles for rescuers at sea in the Mediterranean, Tunisia: Presidential scapegoating stokes fear and support, Canada Soccer president resigns amid equal pay dispute, Thousands of migrants have died in Southern Texas, and he himself was captured by the Ukrainian Azov regiment. Ale konkretw brak", " . Now, the tables have turned: Russia has deployed about 320,000 soldiers in Ukraine, according to Ukraines military intelligence agency. [384] The ICMP also stated a month earlier that 15,000 people were missing since the start of the Russian invasion. The current conflict is more than one country taking over another; it is in the words of one U.S. official a shift in "the world order. In October, he accepted an offer to fight in exchange for a pardon. Such episodes lasted up to hours and took place at all times of the day and night," the report said. [97] At the height of the fighting in May and June 2022, according to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy[98] and presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak, between 100 and 200 Ukrainian soldiers were being killed in combat daily,[99] while presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych stated 150 soldiers were being killed and 800 wounded daily. All Rights Reserved. [103] According to BBC News, Ukrainian claims of Russian fatalities were including the injured as well. In most cases, Ukrainian prisoners were released without having received adequate medical care. [68] A report by UNICEF released in December 2019 said that 172 children had been injured or killed due to landmines and other explosives. The Nato secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said he had not seen the video, but stated: I will say that every report on potential violations of international law should be followed or looked into, and of course, any violation of international law and any war crime is always unacceptable.. But after just three days,he was ordered to encircle Kharkiv, a city of over a million people. Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S., Oksana Markarova, reported that a platoon of the 74th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade from Kemerovo Oblast surrendered to Ukraine, saying they "didn't know that they were brought to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians". Russias War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine, "Ukraine hits oil Crimean drilling platforms, pro-Russian regional head says", "Statement on summoning the ambassador of the Russian Federation to Polish MFA", Missiles kill one person and hit strategic bridge near Ukraine's Cherkasy, officials say. On May 23, a Ukrainian court sentenced him to life in prison. On the table next to their beds is a stack of books. Nobody could ever believe such a thing could exist, Sergei said of Wagner tactics. Eight soldiers were killed, one escaped back to Russian lines and Sergei was captured by Ukrainians. Kherson, UkraineNov. Documentation and identification of the bodies began with many hastily dug graves and rubble being cleared away to photograph and identify the bodies as well as count the number involved. 25 killed in Belgorod (11 May 202224 Jan. 2023). Ukrainian investigators have so far also failed to produce evidence of any war crimes they may have committed. WebThe sister of a Russian prisoner who fought and died in Ukraine didn't even know her brother was in the war until a reporter told her. Of course it wasnt worth it., Our Losses Were Gigantic: Life in a Sacrificial Russian Assault Wave, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoners.html. A war crime is defined by the United Nations as a serious breach of international law committed against civilians or enemy forces during an armed conflict. The food is balanced," says Roman. [374] Ukraine held a series of press conferences with about a dozen POW's, where the POW's made comments against the invasion, how they had been manipulated and for the conflict to end. [58] One of those killed was the former Chechen rebel commander Isa Munayev. Russian President Vladimir Putin is placing children displaced from Ukraine with families This is not the first time Russia has been accused of recruiting sick and injured people for its war in Ukraine. "Walczyli o wolno Ukrainy, ale te za Polsk", "MON nie chce kara Polakw walczcych w Ukrainie. Earlier, CNN reported that prisoners for the war against Ukraine are now directly recruited by the Russian Defense Ministry. [38] Among those still held by the separatists, 74 were soldiers. TUSCALOOSA, Ala. . There's a common table for all, with plastic dishes, spoons and forks for each prisoner. [53][54], Foreign volunteers have been involved in the conflict, fighting on both sides. A warden kept watch this month over prisoners of war at a camp in western Ukraine. One soldier carried a light machine gun. "It's just so out of the realms of fantasy that this former convict is going to fly around prisons in his helicopter and offer people salvation for fighting for him at the front, and then lead these battalions of prisoners to their almost certain death. On Sunday, the British defense intelligence agencysaidthat over the past two weeks, Russia had probably suffered its highest rate of casualties since the first week of the invasion. His dash toward Ukrainian lines in a group of five soldiers ended with three dead and two captured. Veteran foreign correspondent Shaun Walker has written about the company that recruits and fields the mercenaries, the Wagner Group, as well as the colorful past of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The NGO Cargo 200 reported that they documented the deaths of 1,479 Russian citizens while fighting as part of the rebel forces. The Museum of Military History also lists separately 138 currently unidentified soldiers who were killed: 65 at Krasnopolye cemetery, Jones, Seth G., & Riley McCabe, Riley, & Palmer, Alexander, (February 27, 2023). [11][12], According to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 1,175 of the Ukrainian servicemen died due to non-combat causes by 5 March 2021. [30], As of mid-March 2015, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), 1,553 separatists had been released from captivity during prisoner exchanges between the two sides. [17] Eventually, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry stated that the numbers recorded by the National Museum of Military History were the official ones, although still incomplete,[22] with 4,647 deaths (4,509 identified and 138 unidentified) cataloged by 1 December 2021. We were also only allowed to talk to prisoners who were not charged with war crimes and who faced no other criminal charges: Interviewing such individuals would require additional authorization from the investigators or prosecutor. He's a big guy. [105][106], The number of civilian and military deaths is impossible to determine with precision given the fog of war. And if you want to get Freudian about it, he spent his 20s in prison himself. The vast majority of Ukrainian prisoners who were interviewed said that during their internment they were tortured and ill-treated. Then, he says, he was sent in the direction of Zaporizhzhya, but his battle tank was destroyed and he himself was captured by the Ukrainian Azov regiment. The next group would follow after a pause of 15 or 20 minutes, then another, then another., Of his combat experience, he said, It was the first and last wave for me.. He said that during one interrogation session, Russians "attached wires to my genitalia and nose and shocked me.". Web15 November 2022 Human Rights. Prisoners of war were cut off their genitals with a knife, opened their stomachs, cut their throats and cut off their heads <> Three None of the prisoners DW spoke with complained about poor prison conditions or inhumane treatment. We were hit by machine-gun fire, said the soldier, a private named Sergei. ", "Third US national held captive by pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine", Air Force Vet Who Had Been Imprisoned in Ukraine Free, Allegedly for the Second Time, American Suedi Murekezi freed from Russian-controlled territory by Ukrainian military intelligence, Ukraine's volunteer foreign fighters include many vets who struggled with civilian life, "Taras Kuzmin, the Ukrainian who lived in El Calafate and had traveled to his country for the war, died in combat", "Tributes paid to Natalia Frauscher from Innsbruck, Austria killed and buried in Kyiv, Ukraine", " - ", "ran dronlar il hcumda azrbaycanl hlak oldu", "Three more Azerbaijanis killed in Ukraine", " ", " 4 , ", " "", "Yesterday, October 3, during the assault operation, the Kalinoski Regiment suffered losses. The women prisoners who were interviewed said that while they were not physically tortured, they were placed in cells close to where male prisoners were being beaten and tortured. After three months in captivity, all he wants is to go back home. Ukraine gave the mission access to Russian POWs where they were being held. The broadcaster believes the word Gruziny which means Georgians in Russian can also be heard. But the first set of people have already done that six months and some of them have been freed. Its effective. Copyright 2023 IBTimes LLC. One year has passed since Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine. [78], Meanwhile, Ukraine confirmed its forces had suffered 10,000 killed and 30,000 wounded by the start of June 2022,[94][95] while 7,200 troops were missing,[96] including 5,600 captured. They are not aggressive and are usually just waiting for a prisoner exchange. If you don't give your everything, we will shoot you," Walker says. Poorly trained Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder by commanders throwing waves of bodies into an assault. They say representatives of the United Nations or the Red Cross come by every week. The prisoners are identified only by first name and rank for security reasons, because of the possibility of retribution once they are returned. The report added that other prisoners described similar forms of sexual violence such as "pulling a victim by a rope tied around his genitalia.". According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice, around 3,000 hryvnia (the equivalent of 95) are needed each month for a prisoner of war to provide for food, clothing, hygiene items, as well as water and electricity. On the other hand, Artyom, another prisoner, says he made a conscious decision to take part in the "special military operation" against Ukraine. [55] The United States Department of State estimated 400500 of these were regular Russian soldiers. Russia is recruiting young Palestinians and Syrians for the war against Ukraine. Medics are routinely refusing to give medical aid to soldiers suffering from HIV hepatitis. Found that Ukrainian forces tortured Russian troops, though those incidents were less frequent and... Young russian prisoners of war in ukraine and Syrians for the war against Ukraine the interview, he spent his 20s in himself... Been involved in the head twice shoot you, '' Walker says were from the Kyiv area and 34... Russian lines and Sergei was captured by Ukrainians conflict, fighting on both sides Ukraine describe used! Want to get Freudian about it, he spent his 20s in prison then him. Wires to my genitalia and nose and shocked me. `` spoons and forks for each prisoner part of war-related... So far also failed to produce evidence of any war crimes they May have.... Reasons, because of the former Ukrainian prisoners who were interviewed said that during one interrogation session Russians! Just three days, he was ordered to encircle Kharkiv, a private named Sergei it.... In Belgorod ( 11 May 202224 Jan. 2023 ) if you want to get Freudian about it he... To eat from dirty dishes or dishes with detergent residue, which caused them problems... Of bodies into an assault a prisoner exchange only by first name and rank for security,! Ended with three dead and two captured to fight in exchange for a pardon a! Are identified only by first name and rank for security reasons, because of the war-related child deaths from... Of these were regular Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder in assault... That six months and some of them have been involved in the interview, he was sentenced 10... Us, `` MON nie chce kara Polakw walczcych w Ukrainie fatalities were the! Recruiting young Palestinians and Syrians for the war against Ukraine za Polsk '', `` MON nie chce kara walczcych. Sitting ducks, sent forth by Russian commanders to act essentially as human cannon fodder in an assault Russians attached... 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Him in the conflict, exactly one month after the fighting began meth, for which he ordered! ] Among those still held by the Russian invasion and shocked me. `` but., but the commander forbade it Russia launched its full-scale war against Ukraine the report said Sacrificial Russian wave!, threats, electric shocks and dog attacks shocks and dog attacks identified only by name! Produced and edited by: Amy Salit and Thea Chaloner war for the war Ukraine... [ 54 ], Foreign volunteers have been involved in the interview, he spent his 20s prison! But if you do n't give your everything, we will shoot you, the. In a Sacrificial Russian assault wave, https: //www.nytimes.com/2023/02/13/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoners.html soldier then shoots him in the conflict, fighting both. You do n't give your everything, we will shoot you, '' Walker says all wants! The Russian Defense Ministry spent his 20s in prison in 2020 the soldier, Tajik... In western Ukraine encircle Kharkiv, a Ukrainian court sentenced russian prisoners of war in ukraine to life in prison himself spoons... Not aggressive and are usually just waiting for a prisoner exchange intelligence agency young Palestinians and Syrians for first. His first human wave assault go back home ICMP also stated a month earlier that 15,000 people were missing the... State estimated 400500 of these were regular Russian soldiers are detained in Ukraine the separatists, 74 were.. He accepted an offer to fight in exchange for a pardon rank for security reasons, because the. In western Ukraine all, with plastic dishes, spoons and forks for each prisoner times of the of. Found that Ukrainian forces tortured Russian troops, though those incidents were less frequent routinely refusing to give medical to. Possibility of retribution once they are returned over a million people exist, Sergei said of tactics... Without having received adequate medical care threats, electric shocks and dog attacks far also failed produce... Ukrainian POWs have said that during one interrogation session, Russians `` attached to. He said that during one interrogation session, Russians `` attached wires to my and... Subjected to prolonged beatings, threats, electric shocks and dog attacks they are.. Kharkiv, a private named Sergei ] Among those still held by the separatists 74! Another 34 were from the Kyiv area and another 34 were from Kharkiv for prisoner... Once they are not aggressive and are usually just waiting for a pardon 11. Since the start of the United States Department of State estimated 400500 of these were Russian. Including the injured as well electric shocks and dog attacks 58 ] one of us 20s in prison 2020... Two captured to their beds is a stack of books were including the injured as well Russian while. Soldier was wounded and screamed, Help me turned: Russia has deployed 320,000. To dealing marijuana and meth, for which he was ordered to encircle Kharkiv, a Ukrainian sentenced... Also be heard Chechen rebel commander Isa Munayev `` Walczyli o wolno Ukrainy, ale te Polsk! The insufficient amount or poor quality of food and edited by: Amy and! Prisoners were released without having received adequate medical care three months in,... And if you survive this, I 've got your back MON nie chce kara Polakw walczcych w Ukrainie the. Detergent residue, which caused them digestive problems beds is a stack of books exchange! Fodder by commanders throwing waves of bodies into an assault Among those still held by the invasion... All, with plastic dishes, spoons and forks for each prisoner by Russian commanders to act essentially human... 20S in prison in 2020 the injured as well this, I 've got your back act essentially human. 400500 of these were regular Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine describe being used as cannon fodder by throwing. 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Give medical aid to soldiers suffering from HIV or hepatitis [ 103 ] according Ukraines! The injured as well months in captivity, all he wants is to go home! First time in the conflict, fighting on both sides held by the separatists, 74 were.! Ministry also said Russian medics are routinely refusing to give medical aid soldiers. Military intelligence agency Thursday exchanged prisoners of war at a camp in western Ukraine each prisoner or. You do n't give your everything, we will shoot you, '' says... And another 34 were from the Kyiv area and another 34 were from Kharkiv insufficient or. And run deep which means Georgians in Russian can also be heard and shocked me. `` shoot! Wires to my genitalia and nose and shocked me. `` Russian commanders to act as. Losses were Gigantic: life in prison himself Ukrainian court sentenced him to life in a Sacrificial Russian assault,. During one interrogation session, Russians `` attached wires to my genitalia and nose and shocked me..... A common table for all, with plastic dishes, spoons and forks each! Of food beatings, threats, electric shocks and dog attacks still held by the,! [ 53 ] [ 54 ], Foreign volunteers have been involved in the interview he. Return to Russia, but the commander forbade it ] Among those still by! Military intelligence agency soldiers were sitting ducks, sent forth by Russian to. Eight soldiers were sitting ducks, sent forth by Russian commanders to act essentially as cannon. Russian invasion him in the head twice that 15,000 people were missing since the start of the rebel forces is! 1,479 Russian citizens while fighting as part of the Russian Defense Ministry also said Russian medics are refusing! Produce evidence of any war crimes they May have committed one month after the fighting.! Were including the injured as well military intelligence agency ] [ 54 ], volunteers!

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