More than 200 Ukrainian servicemen died in Russian captivity, most of them as a result of torture. About this informs Associated Press.
According to Ukrainian authorities and medical examiners, at least 206 of the more than 5,000 prisoners of war returned to Ukraine by Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion have died while in captivity. In addition, another 245 soldiers were killed immediately after surrendering.
The causes of death in many cases indicate torture, ill-treatment and complete lack of medical care. In Ukraine, the causes of death were heart failure, tuberculosis, pneumonia, asphyxia, infections, and head injuries.
In at least one of the cases, it was recorded that the prisoner was tortured with electric current and beaten before death. The autopsy also revealed signs of gangrene and untreated infections. Some bodies had traces of removed internal organs, which may indicate attempts to hide the true cause of death.
According to the testimony of the UN, human rights defenders and Ukrainian forensic experts, the mass death of prisoners is connected with systematic violence in Russian prisons. Experts emphasize that with proper care and conditions, most of these lives could be saved.
