Russia Tolerates Torture and Executions of Ukrainian Prisoners — OSCE Report
Experts from the OSCE Moscow Mechanism presented a report on Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war. The document refers to systematic war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law: from denial of prisoner status and inhumane conditions of detention to mass executions and torture. The experts concluded that these practices are tolerated by the Russian authorities and may even be coordinated at the state level. The report also used materials from the IHL.
Key figures and conclusions
The mission faced significant difficulties due to Russia’s lack of transparency and its refusal to cooperate. Despite this, experts have established that since February 2022, at least 13,500 Ukrainian soldiers have been held captive, of whom 169 have died there, 6,800 have been released, and about 6,300 remain in captivity.
Accounts from released prisoners indicate that 89.4% of them suffered various forms of ill-treatment: 63.8% suffered physical violence, 55.2% suffered psychological violence, and 42.9% suffered sexual violence. Such practices are widespread in correctional colonies and pre-trial detention centres in Russia and the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine.
Torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war are systematic and widespread and are not limited to isolated cases.
Russia denies Ukrainian military personnel prisoner status and refers to them as ‘persons detained for opposing special operations.’ The same definition is used for detained Ukrainian civilians. This blurs the line between military and civilians and paves the way for illegal criminal prosecutions.
Certain groups of military personnel, including foreign volunteers and fighters from units that Russia labels as “terrorist”, are deliberately denied prisoner of war status. This allows criminal cases to be brought against them, even though under international law combatants have immunity from such prosecution.
Russia does not have tribunals to determine the status of prisoners of war, as required by the Geneva Convention.
Experts have documented numerous arbitrary killings and executions of Ukrainian military personnel both on the battlefield and while in captivity. Statements by Russian officials that ‘there will be no mercy’ effectively encourage extrajudicial executions and create an atmosphere of impunity.
“Welcome beatings,” electric shocks, sexual violence, dog attacks, mock executions, stress positions, forced nudity, and prolonged kneeling are methods used systematically and throughout the entire period of captivity. Prisoners’ testimonies confirm that such practices are likely coordinated by the Russian central government or at least tolerated by it.
The conditions of detention testify to systematic violations of the Geneva Conventions: overcrowded colonies and pre-trial detention centres, lack of medical care and normal nutrition, and the spread of disease.
Experts separately highlighted the Olenivka colony, where systematic violations have been recorded: overcrowded cells, torture, inadequate food and medical care, and forced labour. In July 2022, 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war died there as a result of explosions.
