Ukrainian soldiers who were held captive in correctional colony No. 10 in Mordovia reported systematic torture and cruel treatment by the administration of Russian penitentiary institutions. According to them, the Russian authorities resort to violence, intimidation, and humiliation against Ukrainian prisoners and residents of occupied territories.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Testimonies of Former Prisoners about Cruel Treatment
The investigation gathered testimonies from six Ukrainian soldiers and the sister of a deceased marine, who describe the colony as a “hell” and “a place where people are killed slowly.” Prisoners were subjected to beatings, electric shocks, forced to stand motionless for hours, and denied medical assistance. Many of them lost between 25 to 30 kilograms due to poor nutrition.
According to journalists, the mass arrival of Ukrainian prisoners at the colony in the village of Udarniy in the Zubovo-Polyansky district began in January-February 2023. By January 2025, 610 prisoners had been delivered there, which constitutes about 40% of the facility’s capacity.
Facts of Torture and Moral Pressure
A soldier with the call sign “Architect,” who was in the colony in Mordovia from February to December 2024, recounts the use of stun guns and beatings with plastic pipes that caused serious injuries. Prisoners were forced to stand still for up to 16 hours a day and sing the Russian anthem. In addition to physical abuse, the colony administration systematically insulted Ukrainians, accusing them of “glorifying Bandera” and calling them “fascists” and “Nazis.”
“They beat and laugh, they have fun, they enjoy it,” he said about the guards.
Two of the six interviewed testified about being shocked with a stun gun on their genitals and accused a medical unit staff member named Ilya Sorokin of torture. They also mentioned instances of service dogs being unleashed on prisoners. The situation of Ukrainian prisoners in the colony is considered particularly severe, as physical and psychological pressure is a daily and systematic occurrence.
Journalists note that similar practices of detaining and torturing Ukrainian prisoners are recorded in other institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia. In particular, there is a well-known case from SIZO-2 in Taganrog, where journalist Victoria Roshchina died. The situation in various colonies changes periodically — in some, torture ceases, while in others, the situation worsens.