Camilla Jessen
A Guardian investigation uncovers a vast system of secret Russian prisons.
Russia has built a covert network of at least 29 detention centers where Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war (POWs) are subjected to systematic torture, according to a major investigation by The Guardian published on April 30.
The six-month investigation — based on over 50 interviews with survivors, families, and former prison staff — outlines a system that uses torture not only as punishment but also as a tool for extracting forced confessions.
The evidence indicates that this is not rogue abuse. The prison system appears to be deliberately organized and maintained with the knowledge or even direct involvement of top Russian leadership.
Torture has become an integral part of the Russian war machine,” said Alice Edwards, UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. “This level of abuse is not possible without approval from the highest levels.
Where Torture Happens — and How
Of the 29 documented sites, 18 are located inside Russia, and 11 in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, including regions of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk.
Common methods of torture include:
- Electric shocks, sometimes with wires attached to sensitive areas like the ears or genitals.
- Mock executions.
- Repeated beatings, often targeting the same injury site.
- Waterboarding and attempted drownings.
- Sexual violence and humiliation, including the use of tape to bind detainees and position them as human “furniture.”
Victims are routinely denied food, forbidden from speaking Ukrainian, and subjected to extreme psychological abuse. Some have reportedly attempted suicide, and numerous deaths have occurred at multiple locations.
The Disappearance and Death of Viktoriia Roshchyna
The investigation is named “Viktoriia” in honor of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian custody.
Roshchyna had been reporting on FSB involvement in the abduction of civilians when she disappeared in August 2023 in the Russian-occupied city of Enerhodar.
According to her former cellmate, Roshchyna endured months of brutal torture in Melitopol, including electrocution and repeated beatings.
She was last seen in early September, allegedly taken from her cell to record a forced confession video.
She never returned.
In October, Russia’s Ministry of Defense informed Ukraine of her death, providing only the date — September 19.
Her body was returned to Ukraine in February in a mutilated state, missing her eyes, brain, and part of her larynx. An autopsy revealed neck trauma, a broken rib, internal hemorrhaging, and what appeared to be electrocution marks on her feet.
Thousands Still Missing
The true number of Ukrainians held in these prisons is unknown.
As of April 2024, more than 16,000 civilians are officially listed as missing, according to Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has confirmed that at least 1,800 Ukrainian civilians and POWs are currently detained by Russian forces.
These findings follow earlier revelations that Russia is planning to deport more than 50,000 Ukrainian children under the pretext of summer camps.
International bodies and human rights watchdogs are now calling for urgent accountability, but with few concrete consequences for Russia’s actions so far, many survivors fear the network will only continue to expand.
This isn’t just abuse,” said one former detainee. “It’s state-sponsored sadism.