Over 16,000 civilians detained by Russia during the war in Ukraine are still held, UN estimates
Seattle times · 2026-08-11
The United Nations estimates that over 16,000 Ukrainian civilians detained by Russia during the ongoing war remain imprisoned, many held incommunicado and in violation of international law. Claudia Fuentes Julio, U.N. assistant secretary-general for human rights, reported "widespread and systematic torture and ill-treatment," including sexual violence, against both Ukrainian civilian detainees and prisoners of war by Russian forces. This grim situation was highlighted at an informal U.N. Security Council meeting called by Latvia and the United Kingdom, as the four-year conflict intensifies.
Since the February 2022 invasion, U.N. human rights staff interviewed 910 Ukrainian POWs and 403 civilian detainees post-release, finding that over 95% of POWs and 85% of civilian detainees reported torture or ill-treatment, often repeatedly, alongside sexual attacks, food deprivation, and inadequate medical care. The U.N. cannot access Russian detention facilities, so the exact breakdown of adults versus children among the 16,000 is unknown. Julio confirmed the documentation of 129 Ukrainian POW executions at the start of captivity and 48 deaths in custody due to torture, denied medical care, or inhumane conditions. One former Cuban-American detainee, Garsiya, recounted severe torture, including freezing, beatings, electrocution, and sexual abuse, with two of his friends reportedly beaten to death in Donetsk region detention centers.
*The full article also explores the psychological and physical toll on individual survivors and the broader implications for international human rights law.*