The Main Intelligence Directorate has exposed two more torturers of Ukrainian prisoners of war
Law enforcement officials have identified two more Russians suspected of torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war at Colony No. 7 in the Vladimir Region of the Russian Federation. According to the investigation, they tormented the prisoners for years, subjecting them to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
The Main Intelligence Directorate emphasizes that the documented facts constitute war crimes and a gross violation of international humanitarian law.
Law enforcement officials have identified two more Russians who may be involved in the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war at Colony No. 7 in the village of Pakino, Vladimir Oblast, Russia. They are the colony’s doctor, Vyacheslav Cherdantsev—known among inmates as “Konoval”—and convict Yaroslav Kirilov, who, according to the investigation, also participated in the abuse of Ukrainians.
They were exposed by officers of the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department and SBU investigators, with the assistance of the Main Intelligence Directorate and under the procedural supervision of the Office of the Prosecutor General. Intelligence reports indicate that, beginning in October 2022, the suspects systematically tortured Ukrainian prisoners of war, humiliated them, and subjected them to sexual violence.
Investigators documented a case of rape of a prisoner using a foreign object, as well as other instances of cruel treatment. According to the investigation, a systematic pattern of violence against Ukrainian prisoners was in place at the prison. Both prison staff and some inmates were involved in this system. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate, the purpose of the torture was to break the prisoners’ will, force them to agree to obtain Russian citizenship, and coerce them into giving false testimony.
According to law enforcement officials, during the so-called “registration” process, Ukrainian soldiers were forced to crawl naked across a wet floor and were beaten with sticks and stun guns. One of the prisoners had a fingernail pulled out without anesthesia; others were injected with unknown substances, after which they experienced severe pain. One particular incident involved a seriously ill prisoner of war with a fever exceeding 39 degrees. According to the investigation, he was brutally beaten, after which Cherdantsev stepped on his head and ordered that the man be kept under a cold shower for another 20 minutes or so, while the beating continued.
Furthermore, as noted by the Main Intelligence Directorate, the prison administration deliberately kept naked prisoners suffering from scabies together with healthy inmates, denying them treatment. As a result, the disease spread among the other prisoners. Showers were allowed only once a week, and basic hygiene supplies, including toilet paper, were not provided. According to the investigation, Cherdantsev wrote obscene messages and drew obscene images on the bodies and faces of Ukrainian prisoners of war using a solution of brilliant green, and also ordered guards to beat the prisoners.
According to law enforcement officials, Kirilov carried out the prison administration’s orders and directly participated in the physical torture and psychological terror of Ukrainian servicemen. The Main Intelligence Directorate emphasizes that the use of convicts to exert pressure and commit violence is a characteristic feature of the Russian penal system. They note that this practice dates back to Soviet times and continues today in the form of so-called “press huts,” where inmates are used to abuse other people. “Documented cases of torture, inhumane treatment, rape, and other forms of sexual violence constitute gross violations of the Geneva Conventions and, in accordance with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, are classified as war crimes,” the Main Intelligence Directorate emphasized.
The Main Intelligence Directorate also noted that more information about Vyacheslav Cherdantsev’s activities can be found in a journalistic investigation by Radio Free Europe’s “Schemes” program, which details the crimes of which he is suspected. This was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
On the night of July 11, Russian troops launched another strike on Kyiv.
In addition, Russian troops attacked Ukrnafta gas stations in the Dnipropetrovsk region for two consecutive nights. Despite the damage, the company says it is doing everything possible to resume fuel distribution to residents of frontline regions as soon as possible.
On the night of July 11, Russian forces carried out a massive combined attack on Ukraine, using ballistic missiles, air-to-ground missiles, and over a hundred attack drones.
