Herry release: This is how Serhij died in Russian captivity!

Herry release: This is how Serhij died in Russian captivity!

Pyrjatyn, Ukraine - Serhij Hryhorew, a 59-year-old Ukrainian soldier, died in Russian captivity under tragic circumstances. He has been part of the Ukrainian army since 2019 and was used in Mariupol after the war started. The last contact to his family took place on April 10, 2022 when he assured his wife Halyna on the phone: "Everything will be fine." Just two days later, he and his unit fell into Russian captivity. More than 2000 Ukrainian soldiers suffered a similar fate, and over 200 of them have died during their detention since the beginning of the conflict. Hryhorew's family only learned about his death months later, who occurred on May 20, 2023 due to a stroke due to severe abuse, as the official Russian documentation stated. The family only reached the news in March 2024.

In an alarming UN report from 2024, it is found that 95% of the freed Ukrainian prisoners of war have suffered systematic torture. These reports include cruel torture methods, including strokes, electric shocks, sexual violence and sleep deprivation. Human rights activists and UN experts emphasize that such abuse are considered as a common cause of the deaths in captivity. Olexij Hontscharow, a fellow inmate from Hryhorw, confirmed the reports on ill -treatment.

war reporting and allegations of torture

The reports on torture and abuse of prisoners of war go beyond the fates of individual soldiers. According to the UN report, both Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war became victims of severe abuse. Ukrainian soldiers report considerable abuse that often began when they were arrested by Russian armed forces. These contain stolen personal habes and frightening transport conditions. Prisoners were often cried in overcrowded trucks or buses, which led to inhuman conditions.

The reports of Ukrainian prisoners of war include drastic abuse in the camps, where they were tortured with electric shocks and attacked by dogs. Women experienced systematic humiliation and sexual violence in these camps. In April it was reported that eight people died in a Russian camp. However, there was no extensive access to the Russian prisoners of war because Russia did not give access to their camps, while Ukraine gave international observers access to their prisoners

Legal framework and humanitarian standards

The Geneva conventions that determine international standards for dealing with prisoners of war expressly prohibit torture and abuse. These agreements that have been in effect since 1949 are intended to protect the rights of prisoners of war and civilians in armed conflicts. Despite these legal framework, many reports on ill -treatment remain unanswered. According to the third Geneva Convention, prisoners of war have the right to physical integrity and medical care, which is undermined in numerous cases.

The cruel fates of Hryhorew and many other represent a serious challenge for international law and raise questions about compliance with humanitarian standards in the context of the Ukraine War. The forfeiture of fundamental human rights in times of war forces the international community to take measures and to demand responsibility for the protective mechanisms provided.