August M
Accounts from a former Ukrainian prisoner of war are shedding light on alleged treatment inside Russian-controlled detention facilities. His testimony points to a system designed to break detainees physically and mentally.
The claims align with findings previously reported by international organizations, though some details remain difficult to independently verify.
According to Onet, 53-year-old Hennadiy Kharchenko described a violent initiation process known as “priyomka,” which he says new prisoners face upon arrival.
“With everything they can find,” he said, describing guards using batons, keys, and other objects. “In every possible way a person can be humiliated.”
System of abuse
Kharchenko said he first experienced this treatment in a penal colony in Olenivka, located in occupied parts of the Donetsk region. He was later transferred through multiple detention sites over more than two years in captivity.
He compared the system to a network of camps, where prisoners are isolated and moved frequently, preventing any sense of stability.
The United Nations Human Rights Council has reported since 2023 that Ukrainian prisoners of war have been subjected to “widespread and systematically” torture, including beatings, electric shocks, and other forms of abuse.
Psychological pressure
According to Kharchenko, violence was not limited to arrival procedures. He said guards used repeated beatings and intimidation to force total compliance.
“They want you to cease to exist as a person,” he said.
He described being restrained in ways that left detainees unable to shield themselves from blows. “They hold you down so tightly that you can’t protect the most sensitive parts of your body.”
Constant transfers
Kharchenko said he was held in eight different facilities, while some prisoners were moved even more frequently.
He believes the constant transfers are intentional, aimed at keeping detainees disoriented and anxious. “They want you to live in constant anxiety,” he said.
According to his account, this system also makes it harder for families to locate missing relatives.
Sources: Onet, UN Human Rights Council
