**Tragic Death Toll Revealed: Over 200 Ukrainian Soldiers Died in Russian Captivity**
A devastating report by the Associated Press (AP) has shed light on a tragic reality that has been unfolding since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to data from Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, at least 206 out of 5,000 Ukrainian soldiers repatriated to Ukraine died in Russian captivity.
This grim figure is just one part of a larger and more disturbing trend. Reports have been emerging of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) being tortured or killed while in Russian custody. In fact, the Prosecutor General’s Office has confirmed that investigations are underway into the execution of 268 Ukrainian POWs.
The violence inflicted on these captives is believed to be one of the main factors contributing to the high number of deaths. Human rights groups, the United Nations, and a Ukrainian forensic expert who conducted autopsies on the POWs have all reported instances of torture and abuse. The AP reported that more than 50 Ukrainian soldiers were killed during a Russian missile attack on the notorious Olenivka POW camp in occupied Donetsk Oblast.
**Russia’s Denial Fails to Convince**
The tragic events at the Olenivka prison are particularly egregious. Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of singling out members of the Azov Regiment, who were captured in Mariupol and awaiting a prisoner exchange, to separate parts of the prison building days before the explosion. The Prosecutor General’s Office believes that Russia likely used a thermobaric munition to strike the prison.
Russia, however, has denied these accusations, instead blaming the explosion on a Ukrainian HIMARS strike – an assertion rejected by the U.N.
**UN Confirms Executions and Abuse**
In March, the U.N. confirmed 27 cases of executions by Russian troops, resulting in the deaths of 84 Ukrainian soldiers since August 2024. This is just one example of the widespread abuse and violence inflicted on Ukrainian POWs.
Victoria Tsymbaliuk, a representative of the Ukrainian Coordination Center for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (POWs), revealed that at least 177 Ukrainian prisoners died in Russian captivity since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. These numbers are likely to be much higher when considering all instances of torture and abuse.
**Conclusion**
The tragic death toll of over 200 Ukrainian soldiers who died in Russian captivity is a stark reminder of the brutality and disregard for human life displayed by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. As investigations continue, one thing remains clear: those responsible must be held accountable for their actions.
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