UN report details deaths of 438 Ukrainians in Russian custody
A new assessment confirms that torture is state policy in Russian prisons, with nearly 600 Ukrainians facing political sentences in the last year.
By Madison Darwish ·
The United Nations has confirmed that 438 Ukrainians have died while held in Russian captivity. Mariana Katzarova, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia, presented these findings to the General Assembly this month.
Katzarova described the treatment of detainees as systematic and deliberate. She noted that beatings, sexual violence, and electric shocks are common practices. Prison medical staff often help hide evidence of these abuses. She stated, "The machinery of torture is working overtime, and it is particularly brutal against Ukrainian detainees because the level of impunity is so high. Sometimes, torturing Ukrainian detainees can even earn you a promotion."
Russian courts have moved quickly to process these cases. Between September 2025 and August 2026, judges sentenced at least 585 Ukrainians in politically motivated cases. This group included 226 civilian hostages and 359 military personnel. Katzarova pointed out that Russian authorities refuse to recognize captured Ukrainian soldiers as combatants. Instead, they prosecute them under fabricated terrorism charges. Approximately 90% of prisoners brought before Russian courts face these specific accusations, a move that violates the Geneva Conventions.
Specific sentences illustrate the severity of the judicial process. Dmytro Selizar, a captured soldier from the Azov Brigade, received an 18 year prison term. Mykola Kuzmenko, another Azov fighter, had his sentence increased to 27 years. The report also highlights the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna in captivity.
Ukrainian officials have verified the condition of returned bodies. Between May 2025 and May 2026, Ukraine received the bodies of 169 military personnel and civilians. Post-mortem examinations identified torture and a lack of medical care as direct causes of death. As of June 2026, Ukrainian authorities had identified 1,877 civilians currently held in Russian prisons. Since the full-scale invasion began, a total of 9,446 people have been brought back from captivity.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner, emphasized the need for documentation. He said, "Every crime against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be documented. Every torturer, every organiser of unlawful persecution, and everyone who knowingly conceals these crimes must be held accountable."
Previous investigations support these recent findings. In August 2024, a UN mission reported that over 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war had been tortured. An April 2025 international investigation identified 29 Russian penal colonies where such abuse occurs under FSB supervision. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported in September 2025 that more than 90% of Ukrainian civilians suffered torture in detention.
