Key facts
- Over 16,000 civilians detained by Russia during the Ukraine war are estimated to be held by the UN.
- Many detainees are held incommunicado and face torture and ill-treatment.
- The UN has documented the execution of 129 Ukrainian POWs and deaths of 48 POWs in custody.
- Former detainees reported severe physical and sexual abuse, with some dying in detention.
- Russia denies widespread abuses, calling the UN meeting a disinformation campaign.
The United Nations estimates that over 16,000 civilians detained by Russia during its war in Ukraine remain deprived of their liberty, with many held incommunicado and subjected to torture and ill-treatment that violates international law. Claudia Fuentes Julio, UN assistant secretary-general for human rights, reported these findings at an informal UN Security Council meeting called by Latvia and the United Kingdom.
Julio stated that widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment, including sexual violence, continue against both civilian detainees and prisoners of war. The UN has interviewed hundreds of released individuals, with over 95% of POWs and 85% of civilian detainees reporting abuse. The UN human rights office has documented the execution of 129 Ukrainian POWs and the deaths of 48 others in custody due to inhumane conditions.
Former detainees shared harrowing accounts of physical and sexual abuse, beatings, electrocution, and freezing conditions. One activist described a "carousel of repression" involving unlawful detention and fabricated charges against civilians. Russian prisoners of war also reported experiencing torture and ill-treatment, primarily during initial interrogation by Ukrainians, though UN monitors found conditions in Ukrainian facilities generally comply with international law.
Russia's deputy UN Ambassador, Maria Zabolotskaya, asserted that Russian forces comply with international humanitarian law and claimed Russian prisoners face abuse in Ukraine. She characterized the Security Council meeting as a "disinformation campaign" against Russia, aimed at derailing peace efforts. Ukraine's deputy UN Ambassador, Volodymyr Pavlichenko, noted Russia's reluctance to discuss the return of POWs and civilian detainees.