Russia holds about 7,000 Ukrainian POWs, 95% subjected to torture - Kondratiuk

She said this during the presentation of the study "Violations of Prisoners of War Rights to Healthcare and Medical Treatment: Consequences, Qualification and Prospects," an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to Kondratiuk, Ukraine has managed to bring home more than 9,000 citizens since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, including more than 400 civilians.

"About 7,000 Ukrainian prisoners of war are currently being held in Russian captivity. The number of civilians ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 Ukrainians. More than 95% of Ukrainian POWs are subjected to torture and cruel treatment in Russian captivity," she said.

According to her, Russia returns prisoners in extremely severe condition, bearing signs of torture, without proper medical care, and often suffering irreversible health consequences.

"This is part of the aggressor state's deliberate policy," Kondratiuk said.

She also recalled that Russia had recently returned 375 bodies to Ukraine showing signs of torture and denial of medical assistance.

"Wounds left to rot. Amputations performed without pain relief. Teeth pulled out without anesthesia by intoxicated personnel. Tourniquets removed from wounded prisoners after the Olenivka terrorist attack. The deliberate denial of medical care is a separate weapon used by Russia," she said.

"Legally, these are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and war crimes under Article 8 of the Rome Statute," Kondratiuk added.

"If we look more broadly – at the deportation of Ukrainian children, mass crimes against civilians, torture, and the killing of prisoners – we see a complete picture. This war bears the hallmarks of a genocidal policy against the Ukrainian people. Our task is to build a proper body of evidence so that all those responsible are brought to justice. That is why such research is extremely important," she said.

According to Kondratiuk, the study is the first to systematically document the medical dimension of Russian crimes against Ukrainian prisoners of war and should become an important evidentiary basis for international criminal prosecution of Russia.

"We must remember that thousands of Ukrainians remain in Russian captivity. Their return, rehabilitation, and reintegration are among the greatest challenges facing Ukraine," she added.

Earlier reports said that Russia had failed to establish a single official prisoner-of-war camp during the full-scale war, which constitutes a serious violation of the Geneva Convention.

Photo: Tetiana Romanenko / Verkhovna Rada press service