Russia creates "network of prisons" for Ukrainians

Russia is going to build dozens of prisons to hold both military and civilian Ukrainians.

Source: Associated Press with reference to the government document that the agency has at its disposal

Details: The outlet notes that thousands of Ukrainian civilians are held in a network of official and unofficial prisons throughout Russia and in the territories it occupies, where they are subjected to torture, psychological abuse and even slave labor.

Russia plans to build dozens more such prisons.

The AP spoke with numerous people, including two Ukrainian intelligence officials, 20 former detainees, former prisoners of war, families of more than a dozen detained civilians, and a government negotiator.

Their statements, along with satellite images, social media, official records, and copies of letters handed out by the Red Cross, indicate a widespread Russian system of detention and mistreatment of civilians that is blatantly in violation of the Geneva Conventions.

The agency says the abuse includes repeated electric shocks, beatings leading to cracks in the skull and broken ribs, as well as simulated strangulation.

Every former prisoner interviewed by the AP said torture was a constant occurrence, with many reporting witnessing deaths.

At the same time, Russia does not recognise the fact it is imprisoning civilians.

"Some [prisoners – ed.] are used for slave labour in digging trenches for Russian soldiers and mass graves. The prisoners serve as future bargaining chips in exchanges for Russian soldiers, although international law forbids the exchange of civilians for prisoners of war", the newspaper notes.

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