Over 2,500 Ukrainian POWs in Russian captivity, analysis finds
More than 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers remain in Russian captivity, according to an analysis by an independent expert mission, the Interior Ministry announced in a Telegram post Sept. 5.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) led the investigation through its delegation to Ukraine and found that 2,577 soldiers remain in Russian captivity. The group's expert mission monitors the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs).
Russia regularly violates international law, including the Geneva Conventions, with its treatment of Ukrainian POWs and civilians. Ukraine's Prosecutor General reported in July that at least 273 POWs have been executed by Russia while in captivity.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has not confirmed the status of 680 individuals, including 91 civilians, the Interior Ministry said.
Meanwhile, there have been eight instances POWs have been identified as deceased after initially being classified as imprisoned.
The OSCE's independent experts are set to publish a report outlining Russia's "violations of its commitments to the OSCE, abuses and human rights violations, war crimes, and other breaches of international humanitarian law" at the end of September, the announcement read.
In August, 33-year-old National Guard soldier Vladyslav Nahornyi survived five days crawling back to Ukrainian-controlled territory after Russian forces slit his throat and threw him into a pit, believing he was dead.
Nahornyi, unable to speak, documented his ordeal in a journal. He wrote that Russian soldiers gouged out eyes, cut off lips, ears, and noses, and mutilated Ukrainian POWs.
