**Heartbreak for Ukrainian Family as Russian Detention Horror Unfolds**
The family of 59-year-old Ukrainian soldier Serhii Hryhoriev had held on to hope for his safe return from Russian custody. But their dream was shattered when they received news that his body had been returned, joining the grim tally of over 200 confirmed fatalities among Ukrainian prisoners of war.
This tragedy is part of a growing body of evidence cited by human rights monitors, who warn of systematic abuse, medical neglect, and torture in Russian detention. The horrors faced by Ukrainian POWs in Russian custody are nothing short of devastating. Many have endured beatings, electric shocks, and sexual abuse – often leading to severe injury or even death. Inhumane conditions, including overcrowding, starvation, and medical neglect, have been widely reported.
**Systematic Abuse and Neglect**
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized that any ceasefire agreement must include the return of POWs and Ukrainian civilians forcibly taken to Russia. The recent prisoner exchange, which saw 1,000 prisoners on each side released, is a welcome step towards bringing the living home and accounting for the dead.
Serhii Hryhoriev’s story is particularly heart-wrenching. A former office worker at a high school in central Ukraine, he enlisted in the military in 2019 and was deployed to Mariupol early last year. On April 10, 2022, as the Russian siege intensified, he made his final call home, reassuring his wife and daughters that “everything would be all right.” Those were the last words they heard from him.
**A Tragic End**
Two days later, a fellow soldier’s relative informed the family of their unit’s capture. Over 2,000 defenders were taken into Russian captivity after Mariupol fell. The International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed to his wife that he had been registered as a POW, which should have ensured legal protections under the Geneva Conventions.
A letter from Hryhoriev arrived in August, but it was short and suggested a desperate state – a stark contrast to the optimistic words he had used before. A video later emerged online, showing him frail, bearded, and toothless. It’s a grim reminder of the conditions faced by many POWs in Russian detention.
**Survivor Testimony Exposes Brutal Conditions**
One former detainee, Oleksii Honcharov, has shared his harrowing experience with Hryhoriev at the Kamensk-Shakhtinsky Correctional Colony in Russia’s southwest. He recounted routine beatings for all captives, a stark illustration of the systemic abuse and neglect that many POWs face.
The return of Serhii Hryhoriev’s body is a tragic reminder of the humanitarian crisis unfolding on our watch. As we demand accountability from those responsible, it’s essential to amplify the voices of survivors like Oleksii Honcharov and provide support to families who have lost loved ones in this conflict.
Read More @ euromaidanpress.com
