Over 200 Ukrainian POWs have died in Russian custody since 2022, investigation finds

At least 206 Ukrainian prisoners of war have died in Russian detention since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion, many showing signs of torture or neglect, according to an Associated Press report.

A wounded Ukrainian soldier receives medical attention at a stabilization point near the frontline in Kharkiv area, Ukraine, 25 May 2025 (issued 26 May 2025), amid the Russian invasion. The Ukrainian Army medical facilities are the first point of care for wounded soldiers before they are transferred to hospitals.

EPA/YEVHEN TITOV

Officials say Russia has so far repatriated more than 5,000 POWs or their remains; the dead include more than 50 soldiers killed in an explosion at a Russian-controlled barracks in 2022, the agency said in the report that draws on data from Kyiv, the United Nations, NGOs and autopsies performed in Ukraine.

A 2024 UN survey found 95 % of released Ukrainian captives reported torture, ranging from beatings and electric shocks to sexual violence and prolonged stress positions.

Forensic pathologist Inna Padei, who has examined dozens of bodies, said some arrived without internal organs or with blunt-force head wounds.

“These injuries may not always be the direct cause of death,” she told AP, “but they clearly indicate the use of force and torture against the servicemen.”

Ukraine’s prosecutors say a further 245 captives were executed on the battlefield after surrendering.

(jh)

Source: AP News, PAP