Monitoring by the UN revealed that both the Russian and Ukrainian military are violating the rights of prisoners of war. In addition, it is known about the greater number of executions of Russian soldiers. Why so and can we trust this data?
In the report, the head of the Mission, Matilda Bogner, said that about 400 prisoners were interviewed, 200 from each side. However, the difference in the surveys was huge:
- Ukraine without any obstacles allowed experts to visit the Russian prisoners, who could testify about what is happening in the immediate environment.
- Russia refused to allow the Mission to the places where Ukrainian prisoners are held, so those who witnessed the crimes could also not live to return.
Claims to Ukraine
Most often, violence against Russian prisoners was carried out immediately after their capture. Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating cases in which 22 soldiers became victims.
Claims to Russia
The Head of the Mission noted that no camps were created to hold Ukrainian prisoners of war. Also, 15 cases of executions after capture were recorded, most of which were carried out by mercenaries of the PMC “Wagner”.
Torture was carried out to obtain military information. In some cases, prisoners died from injuries after torture. Food is severely inadequate and there is no access to medical care, which often leads to deaths.
Arbitrary executions by Russian soldiers also occur against civilians in the occupied territories. Also, 621 cases of violent detention of civilians by the Russian army were recorded. After the release, the victims testified about torture, ill-treatment, and sexual violence. Children from 14 to 17 years old also became victims of such torture.
The list of tortures on both sides is the same. The most frequent complaints of prisoners are:
- beating;
- shots in the legs;
- injuries of arms and legs with knives;
- torture by electric current;
- threats of sexual violence or murder;
- imitation of execution.
Summarizing the received data, the Head of the UN mission called on Ukraine and Russia to observe international humanitarian law. The reaction of the Ukrainian side was a request to obtain access to Ukrainian prisoners so that the UN experts could have free contact with them in captivity, as Ukraine allows for Russian prisoners of war.
