The American publication The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has released new evidence indicating that the Russian authorities, at the very beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, gave official permission for systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians. Journalists of the publication conducted an investigation based on testimonies of former prison guards and medical personnel from Russia.
Official Orders and Scope of Torture
According to WSJ, in March 2022, the then head of the St. Petersburg prisons, Major General Igor Potapenko, instructed subordinates not to limit themselves to standard procedures regarding detainees. "Be cruel, do not spare them," – the journalists quoted his words, directed to an elite unit of Russian jailers.
Subsequently, this instruction quickly turned into harsh reality for Ukrainian prisoners of war. As former guards testify, methods of torture in Russian prisons became more brutal and systematic. Prisoners were beaten with particular cruelty, electroshocks were applied to genital areas, with batteries fully drained, and medical assistance was deliberately denied, leading to amputations due to gangrene development.
Former Ukrainian prisoner of war Andriy Yegorov shared with WSJ journalists that Russian prison staff derived pleasure from their abuse: "They liked it. They laughed while we screamed in pain."
Testimonies and International Reactions
Testimonies from former guards who later fled Russia and testified at the International Criminal Court are confirmed by official documents, stories of Ukrainian captives, and human rights defenders. According to Volodymyr Osechkin, head of the organization Gulagu.net, which helped prisoners escape from Russia, the brutality towards Ukrainian military and civilians was not spontaneous but a targeted state policy.
Organizations within the UN repeatedly reported on torture carried out by Russian law enforcement against Ukrainian prisoners of war. Notably, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated on October 8, 2024, that torture is applied systematically, and the minimum guarantees for detainees' rights are either not functioning or ineffective.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) also drew attention to this report, emphasizing that such practices constitute war crimes for which the Russian leadership bears responsibility. In particular, they pointed out that in 2024, Igor Potapenko was promoted and appointed Vice-Governor of Saint Petersburg for security issues. This indicates that his actions received support from the country's higher leadership.
Prisons as Instruments of Terror
Human rights activist and coordinator of the Activatica.org project Evgenia Chirikova stated that a true system of terror has been created in the occupied territories of Ukraine, operated by security forces. According to her, the number of Ukrainian civilians unlawfully detained in Russian prisons could exceed 7,000 people. However, the exact number of torture victims remains unknown, as access for human rights organizations to the occupied territories is limited.
The Activatica team produced a documentary "Prisoners" about Ukrainian civilians held in Russian prisons. The premieres are scheduled in Finland, France, and the USA. Chirikova emphasized that the situation in Ukraine can be viewed as ethnic cleansing and genocide, and the global community should pay more attention to this issue.
The Kremlin's Position
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in a comment for WSJ, dismissed allegations of systemic torture, stating that Russian and Ukrainian ombudspersons oversee detention conditions. "Each case should be considered separately," he said.
However, WSJ’s investigation and numerous reports by international organizations prove that the use of torture is not accidental but part of Russian policy in handling prisoners of war and civilians in Ukraine.
