Y: At some point, I questioned them why they'd do this when from 2014-2022 I'd saved not just Ukrainian lives, but also those we captured, including theirs. They stopped and conversed amongst themselves but didn't torture me afterward. 16/
Full-scale invasion and national resilience, broadcasted live.
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Testimony: Torture and abuse during Russian captivity
Y: Interrogations began day one. They'd blindfold me and cuff my hands behind my back. They used "enthusiastic" methods—a thick sharp metal needle through the neck's skin, left hanging so I'd feel it. When they didn’t get what they wanted, they stabbed my leg with a knife. 13/
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Torture testimony: Russian interrogation and abuse
Y: Sitting down, they'd drive the knife into my upper leg until they hit bone. When they realized they wouldn't get answers, they used a military field phone, "Tapik," attaching its wires to my ears. They shocked me until I screamed. 14/
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Testimony: Cell conditions during detention
Y: My cell was about 5-6 meters long and 1.7 meters wide. It had a sink, a toilet, and a window behind three bars. When they threw me in, I was shocked—there were already 16 others. Most in the cell were civilians, except for one paramedic volunteer in a uniform. 12/
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Testimony of torture and abuse by Russian forces during detention
Y: We stood tied up for an hour, insisting we were civilians. Then the leader came, poked me with a baton and said, "Why are you lying?" Then the real torment began. They were brutal; hitting my friend's head against the table and taping our eyes shut. 11/
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Torture testimony: beatings at Russian police station
Y: At the police station, they suspected us of being Ukrainian spies. They stripped us, checked for tattoos, and began to beat us. One guy had a lot of tattoos and got hit more. I have tattoos too, but got less of it. 10/
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Testimony of forced displacement to Nova Kakhovka
Y: In the morning, the commander and a well-equipped soldier took us to Nova Kakhovka. They said it was a routine document check, but we knew it wasn't when we saw Russian flags everywhere. 9/
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Escape Under Fire at Russian Checkpoints
Y: Out of town, we walked through the fields, out of sight. We passed two Russian checkpoints afar unscathed. But at the third, they spotted us and opened fire. We tried to flee, but when I heard bullets whizzing past us, I yelled at the guys to stop and not move. 7/
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Testimony: Arrest and Abuse by DNR Soldiers
Y: They arrested us thinking we were Ukrainian spies. They took us to their tent, took our phones, stripped us, and roughed us up quite a bit. They were "DNR" soldiers, speaking either Russian or a mix of Russian and Ukrainian. 8/
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Civilian escape from Nova Kakhovka occupation to Zaporizhzhia
Y: On April 3rd, 5 weeks into the war, we decided it was too risky to continue to stay and decided to escape the occupation. We arranged transport to Zaporizhzhia for 17K UAH ($500). Our driver was vetted and cleared, but the challenge was reaching him in Nova Kakhovka. 5/