At least 375 Ukrainians have died while in Russian captivity
During a press conference, Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights, revealed the extent of Russia’s crimes against Ukrainian captives. To date, the deaths of at least 375 Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages have been verified, and their bodies have been returned to Ukraine.
According to the ombudsman, Russia has created an entire system of torture and illegal sentences, which Ukraine has dubbed the “Moscow Conventions.”
Ukrainian law enforcement and intelligence agencies have documented 695 forms of torture and 860 instances of inadequate detention conditions, with 95% of captives subjected to systematic torture. In addition, the occupiers continue to hold sham trials: as of May 2026, criminal proceedings have been initiated against 2,442 Ukrainian citizens, of whom 1,717 have already received unlawful sentences.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine.
Crimean Tatar human rights activist Leniye Umerova stated during a UN Security Council meeting that Russia systematically uses unlawful detentions, fabricated cases, isolation, and torture to hold Ukrainian civilians captive.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for the families of Ukrainian prisoners of war to find out where their loved ones are being held. Human rights activists say that the Russian system has become even more secretive: official responses often contradict one another, and access to information and lawyers is constantly being restricted.
