Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin has accused Russia of systematically torturing prisoners of war (POWs), with up to 90 percent of returned Ukrainian soldiers reporting abuse during their detention in Russian facilities.
At a Tuesday event in Brussels organized by the Center for European Politics, Kostin noted that these findings come from Ukraine’s ongoing investigations into war crimes committed during the conflict. He described the abuse as a “long-term trauma” for survivors, with serious psychological and physical consequences. He said, “Russia simply aims to collectively punish Ukrainian prisoners of war simply for their membership in the Ukrainian Armed Forces. For protecting the Ukrainian land and our freedom.”
Kostin additionally pointed to the plight of Ukrainian civilians, with more than 4,000 cases of kidnapping and illegal detention documented. He emphasized that these abuses are part of Russia’s broader strategy to suppress Ukrainian identity in occupied territories. Kostin also reported progress in holding perpetrators accountable, identifying 421 suspects and filing charges against 307 individuals for the mistreatment of prisoners.
Kostin’s accusations are based on testimonies provided by Ukrainian soldiers and are further supported by a report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), published on October first. The OHCHR report details widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian POWs by Russian authorities at all stages of captivity. According to the report, Ukrainian prisoners described experiencing brutal beatings, electric shocks, sexual violence, strangulation, prolonged stress positions, forced excessive physical exertion, sleep deprivation, simulated executions, and threats of violence and humiliation.
The Third Geneva Convention serves as a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, explicitly prohibiting physical or mental torture, humiliation, and degrading treatment of POWs. Article 13 of the Convention mandates that POWs must be treated humanely and protected from acts of violence, intimidation, and public curiosity.
