Ukraine to seek justice as war prisoner deaths rise

• More than 200 Ukrainian prisoners of war have died in Russian prisons since the start of Russia's full-scale assault on Ukraine. This information comes from an AP agency report based on data from non-governmental organisations, the UN, and the Ukrainian government.
• Russia has handed over more than 5,000 prisoners of war or their bodies to Ukraine, of which 206 died in prisons. Many of these deaths are attributed to violence against the detainees.
• Ukraine plans to sue Russia for war crimes at the International Criminal Court, related to the mistreatment of captured soldiers.

According to the AP agency report, many deaths of Ukrainian prisoners in Russian prisons result from violence against detainees. Ukrainian officials indicate that the bodies handed over by Russia are often mutilated or in a state of decomposition, which may suggest attempts to conceal torture, starvation, and poor medical care. - These injuries may not always be the direct cause of death but they clearly indicate the use of force and torture against the servicemen – said Inna Padei, a Ukrainian doctor who conducted the autopsies.

Ukraine intends to sue Russia for war crimes at the International Criminal Court. A 2024 UN report indicates that 95% of released Ukrainian prisoners were subjected to torture and maltreatment. Amnesty International has also confirmed the widespread use of torture against Ukrainian prisoners in Russia. The organisation criticised the secrecy by Moscow regarding the locations and conditions of the prisoners' detention.

Forensic experts face considerable challenges in determining the cause of death of prisoners whose bodies have been returned to Ukraine. In some cases, internal organs are missing, and in others, it appears attempts were made to conceal injuries. - Under normal or humane conditions, these would not have been fatal – noted Padei, referring to cases of heart failure, tuberculosis, or pneumonia as causes of death among young soldiers.