395 People Abducted in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson by Russia, 103 of Them Crimean Tatars, Says Report

During Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, at least 395 people were kidnapped in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, of which 103 were Crimean Tatars.

The Crimean Tatar Resource Center has uncovered the fate of approximately 80 individuals abducted in these territories. Some have been released, while others remain detained in Russian prisons.

“It should be emphasized that in the newly occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Russians are not governed by any legislation and openly commit war crimes, including forced abductions, illegal entry into homes, torture, and murder,” the Crimean Tatar Resource Center wrote on its website.

Since its inception, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center has systematically monitored human rights violations in occupied Crimea. Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Center expanded its efforts to include newly occupied territories in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, publishing quarterly reports on human rights violations in these areas.

On September 24, a commission mandated by the UN Human Rights Council reported that the Russian-controlled prisons are deliberately withholding medical care from Ukrainian prisoners, with doctors in one prison even participating in what has been described as torture.