Signs of torture found on most bodies of Ukrainians repatriated from Russian captivity – photo, video
Pravda Ukraine
Signs of torture are found on most of the bodies of Ukrainians repatriated from detention centres in Russia.
Source: the film Way Home. Heroes on the Shield; officials from Ukraine’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War during the film’s première on 5 March
Quote from Inna Padiei, Head of the Forensic Medical Examination of Corpses Department of the Bureau of Forensic Medicine: “80% of the bodies brought back to us from pre-trial detention centres, prisons and so on, show signs of torture. Torture is the use of physical force, the use of certain tools that, for example, conduct electric current, and even deprive a person of basic vital needs, such as food and medical care.”
Quote from Andrii Yusov, a Coordination Headquarters spokesperson: “The very fact that we are discussing the recovery of Ukrainian civilians’ bodies highlights the widespread nature of Russia’s war crimes. Among those recovered, many show signs of at least some violation of detention conditions and these are not isolated cases. However, we are cautious in making comments on this matter, as the families of the Ukrainian defenders and civilians awaiting the release of their loved ones are living people, and it is important not to traumatise them unnecessarily. Therefore, only after a thorough investigation and the confirmation of specific facts can we make the appropriate statements.”
Details: Maksym Tsutskiridze, Head of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police, explained that identification of the bodies is conducted through visual inspection and DNA analysis. He noted that 4,600 individuals have been identified through external features such as tattoos, scars and prostheses, although DNA testing was also performed on each body.
Over 3,200 bodies remain unidentified.
Tsutskiridze added that the workload of investigators handling these cases has increased by 300% compared to pre-war levels. Currently, law enforcement officers are investigating around 70,000 criminal proceedings on missing persons under special circumstances, which include both civilians and military personnel, as well as relatives and friends who have lost contact with individuals in the occupied territories. This effort involves 2,000 law enforcement officers.
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