Strangled, shocked, skinned: Ukraine's commissioner details Russia's 695 documented torture methods
Ukraine's Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights has documented 695 forms of torture used by Russia against Ukrainian prisoners of war, including beatings, physical abuse, sexual violence, and psychological torment, ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said at the launch of the project "Made in Russia. Delivered into Captivity," which documents Russian war crimes.
Lubinets described how prisoners are strangled, subjected to dog attacks, shocked with electric stun devices, forced to stand in one place for up to 18 hours and beaten if they attempt to sit down.
"One form of torture takes place in what they call a barbershop. During shaving, they cut not just hair but chunks of skin from the prisoner's head. If the person begins to scream, they are beaten physically or with an electric shock," Lubinets said.
He drew particular attention to the absence of an international response. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross were invited to the event but did not attend.
"They do not want to hear once again that the problem lies with the fulfillment of their mandate," Lubinets said.
He added that he established direct contact with Tatyana Moskalkova — who served as Russia's human rights commissioner until March — because efforts to work through ICRC intermediaries had produced no results.
According to the ombudsman's office, 2,112 Ukrainian prisoners of war have been unlawfully sentenced by Russia to lengthy prison terms of up to 20 and 30 years. Approximately 250 of those sentenced are fighters from the Azov regiment.
Andrii Pasternak, head of Ukraine's Security Service’s Joint Center, added that Russian court proceedings against prisoners of war "significantly affect" prisoner exchanges, as Russia uses the sentences to "try to raise the price" of any swap.
Russia has returned 375 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians who had been verified as prisoners of war. Of the Ukrainian POWs who have been verified, 149 were found to have been tortured to death.
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