UN report details systematic torture and 438 deaths of Ukrainians in Russian custody

Mariana Katzarova, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in Russia, has released a damning report indicating that at least 438 Ukrainians have died while held in Russian captivity. Her findings, presented to the UN General Assembly, describe a system where torture and ill-treatment are not isolated incidents but are instead systematic practices that have evolved into core state policy of the Kremlin.

The report highlights that beatings, sexual violence, and electric shocks are common occurrences within Russian prison facilities. Katzarova noted that medical staff are frequently complicit in the abuse, actively assisting in the concealment of evidence to hide the extent of the physical damage inflicted on detainees. She emphasized that this treatment is deliberate and approved at the highest levels of the Russian leadership.

According to Katzarova, the machinery of torture is working overtime, particularly against Ukrainian detainees due to a high level of impunity. She observed that the brutality is so entrenched that torturing Ukrainian prisoners can even result in a promotion for the perpetrators. This culture of accountability-free abuse has led to widespread suffering among those held in custody.

The legal status of captured Ukrainian servicemen is also a major point of contention. Russian authorities largely refuse to recognize them as combatants, instead prosecuting them en masse under fabricated terrorism charges. Katzarova stated that approximately 90% of prisoners brought before Russian courts face these charges, a practice she described as a direct violation of the Geneva Conventions.

Between September 2025 and August 2026, Russian courts issued sentences in at least 585 politically motivated cases involving Ukrainians. This group included 226 civilian hostages and 359 military personnel. Specific cases cited in the report include Dmytro Selizar, a captured soldier from the Azov Brigade who received an 18-year sentence, and Mykola Kuzmenko, another Azov fighter whose sentence was increased to 27 years.

Figures from Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War confirm that at least 438 Ukrainians have died in Russian custody. Between May 2025 and May 2026, the bodies of 169 military personnel and civilians were returned to Ukraine. Post-mortem examinations revealed that signs of torture and the denial of adequate medical care were direct causes of their deaths.

The report also draws attention to the death in captivity of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. As of June 2026, Ukrainian authorities had identified 1,877 civilians currently held in Russian prisons. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, a total of 9,446 people have been returned from captivity, a figure that includes 457 civilians.

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets stressed the need for rigorous documentation of every crime against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. He emphasized that every torturer, organizer of unlawful persecution, and individual who knowingly conceals these crimes must be held accountable for their actions.

This report follows earlier findings that established a pattern of abuse. In August 2024, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that over 95% of Ukrainian prisoners of war had been tortured. An international investigation in April 2025 identified at least 29 penal colonies where torture was supervised by the FSB. Furthermore, a September 2025 report indicated that more than 90% of Ukrainian civilians had suffered torture in captivity, with dozens dying due to a lack of medical assistance.