#Ukrainian prisoners of war

Today, July 29th 2024, marks two years since an explosion killed 51 and injured at least 139 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) held by Russian forces in the Olenivka penal colony, in the temporarily occupied region of Donbas. A survivor of Olenivka tells us what she knows about the attack, what life was like for her inside the prison, and how, she says, the Red Cross failed to fulfill their duties.

New photos by Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov have sparked outcry across Ukraine and beyond. They show the bodies of Ukrainian prisoners who went through Russian captivity—with signs of heavy abuse and torture.

Ukraine and Switzerland are due to host the Summit on Peace for Ukraine in June. One of the key discussion topics will be the release of all prisoners from each side in an "all-for-all" exchange.

Two years after the fall of Azovstal, the fate of hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war, including members of the Azov brigade, remains uncertain. Held by Russia in undisclosed locations, they are denied contact with families, exchanges, and access to international observers. Why?

For centuries, Russia has tried to eradicate dissent—including in territories it colonized—by sending political prisoners to penal colonies across its empire. Today, this system has mutated once again—this time, in newly occupied Ukraine.