Ukraine names the official number of prisoners of war killed in Russian captivity

The Ministry of Defense has released the official number of Ukrainian prisoners of war who have died in Russian captivity since the beginning of the full-scale war. According to the MoD, at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners of war have died while in Russian custody. This figure was disclosed by Viktoriya Tsimbalyuk, a representative of the Coordination Staff for the Treatment of Prisoners of War of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, in a comment to Politico.

However, she noted that the actual number of Ukrainian POWs who have died in Russian captivity is likely much higher. This is due to the lack of international oversight.

«This is the number we have. But, of course, not all bodies have been returned, and Russia has not even confirmed that many of them were ever in captivity,» she added.

Case of Danylo Kravets

Danylo Kravets, a 23-year-old student from Lviv who became a UAV operator during the war. He shared his harrowing story of captivity with Politico. The boy spent 175 days in four different detention centers in Russia before being brought home last April.

According to Kravets, torture and beatings were widespread. After being captured near Vuhledar in November 2022, he was forced to choose between losing a finger or a leg and was subjected to a mock execution. When he and other POWs arrived at a prison in Donetsk, their heads were covered, and they were ordered to undress.

«They always tell you to take off your clothes,» he said, briefly recounting how what followed was sexual assault.

A tattoo of a mountain on his body led the prison guards to believe he might attempt an escape, and as a result, they broke his legs.

«They are very good at finding a reason to torture or beat you,» said Kravets, who lost 16 kilograms during his time in captivity.

The UN has documented cases where prisoners of war resorted to eating worms, soap, or paper to stave off hunger. Other reports describe prisoners being tortured by having needles inserted under their fingernails, being strangled, and threatened with animal attacks. They were also forced to sing Russian patriotic songs and witness the torture of other detainees.

It should be noted that since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine has successfully returned 3,569 Ukrainians from Russian captivity. The most recent exchange of prisoners of war took place on September 14.

Additionally, in August, Ukraine repatriated the bodies of 250 Ukrainian defenders from Russia and the occupied territories.