Russia continues to blatantly violate international humanitarian law by systematically concealing the true condition of Ukrainian prisoners of war. According to an independent OSCE expert mission recently presented in Vienna, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) does not have full access to places where Ukrainians are held, whether in Russian prisons or in temporarily occupied territories.
Members of the mission report that Russian authorities only allow visits to prisoners who are in satisfactory condition. The sick, wounded, or those who have been tortured are deliberately hidden from international observers. Professor Hervé Ascensio noted that all ICRC visits are strictly controlled by Russia, even though under the Geneva Conventions, the Red Cross has the right to free and independent access to all prisoners.
Czech expert Veronika Bílková added that the current situation is "somewhat better" than before but still "far worse than international law requires." ICRC representatives cannot visit all detention facilities and are also unable to speak confidentially with prisoners. This means that information about their actual condition is almost completely hidden from the outside world.
Moreover, the work of the Russian National Information Bureau, which is supposed to collect and provide data about prisoners of war, remains opaque. Families have no access to any official resource other than a phone number. In contrast to Ukraine, where the relevant bureau operates transparently, the Russian side provides the ICRC with incomplete lists, leaving many families unaware whether their loved ones are alive.
Tragic deaths of Ukrainians in Russian detention centers confirm the scale of cruel treatment. In December 2024, the death of Yevhen Matveyev, mayor of Dniprorudne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, became known. He was abducted by Russian forces back in March 2022 for his pro-Ukrainian stance. For a long time, his whereabouts were unknown.
Matveyev died in Detention Center No. 3 in the city of Kizel, Perm Krai. According to released prisoners, he was brutally beaten during the so-called "reception" procedure all newcomers undergo. As a result of the beatings, the mayor died just a few days after arrival. Witnesses say his body was simply carried into a cell.
Another case is the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna. She died on September 19, 2024, in the same Kizel detention center. Previously held in Taganrog, she was transferred to Perm Krai shortly before her death. The official cause of death has not been disclosed, but there is reason to believe it was another case of fatal mistreatment.
Former prisoners of war who have returned to Ukraine report beatings, torture, threats, solitary confinement, denial of medical care, and lack of basic hygiene.
Such actions by Russia are gross violations of the Geneva Conventions, which guarantee prisoners of war basic rights: humane treatment, medical care, contact with relatives, and access to Red Cross representatives. Denial of these rights is not just a violation — it is a war crime.
Ukraine's Prosecutor General’s Office is currently investigating all deaths of Ukrainian citizens in Russian captivity. The case of Yevhen Matveyev has already been added to criminal proceedings. Ukrainian law enforcement is collecting evidence, conducting examinations, and preparing materials to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Russia must be held accountable for what is happening behind the walls of its prisons. Every death or case of torture is not just a family tragedy — it is a crime against humanity that has no statute of limitations. Until the international community forces Russia to respect the law, the lives of Ukrainian POWs will remain at risk. Silence is complicity.