Ukrainian prisoners of war are dying in Russian prisons from tuberculosis, infections, asphyxiation, and head injuries – Associated Press

Journalists from the Associated Press (AP) interviewed relatives of 21 Ukrainian prisoners of war who died in Russian captivity. Autopsies conducted in Ukraine revealed that five of them, including soldiers aged 22, 39, and 43, died of heart failure. Another four died from tuberculosis or pneumonia. In three cases, the cause of death was infection, asphyxiation, or blunt-force head trauma, as detailed in the AP investigation.

Photo: AP / Alex Babenko

Foreign journalists spoke with Ukrainian officials involved in prisoner exchanges, interviewed relatives of POWs, and analysed data from human rights organisations.

According to Ukrainian authorities, out of more than 5,000 prisoners of war returned by Russia to Ukraine, at least 206 died in captivity. Among them are over 50 soldiers killed in the terrorist attack in Olenivka. Representatives of human rights and international organisations state that systematic abuse in Russian prisons caused many deaths.

According to the Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office, Russian forces executed at least 245 Ukrainian prisoners directly on the battlefield.

Ukrainian officials believe the scale of deaths in captivity indicates systematic violence by Russia. To conceal torture, starvation, and lack of medical care, the occupiers hand over the bodies of Ukrainian defenders in a mutilated or decomposed state.

“Russian authorities did not respond to requests for comment. They have previously accused Ukraine of mistreating Russian POWs — accusations partially supported by the UN, although the latter also stated that violations by Ukraine are less common than those attributed to Russia,” the article notes.

Upon the return of the bodies of deceased POWs, Ukrainian pathologists conduct forensic examinations to determine the exact cause of death. For many families, these findings remain the only reliable source of information. These reports, along with testimonies from released prisoners, will be used by the Ukrainian side as evidence in the International Criminal Court to bring charges against Russia for war crimes.

Pathologist Inna Padey recorded a fracture of the right side of the skull during the examination of one prisoner’s body. She explained that this indicates a severe blow to the head with a blunt object, either with the intent to kill immediately or to cause death later.

“These injuries are not necessarily the cause of death, but they clearly indicate the use of force and torture of soldiers,” Padey believes.

According to her, cases where soldiers in Russian captivity died from heart failure, tuberculosis, pneumonia, infection, asphyxiation, and blunt-force head trauma are an alarming signal. This suggests that physical violence and untreated injuries, and illnesses could have led to the deaths of many service members.

“Under normal or humane conditions, these injuries would not be fatal. Everything that returned prisoners describe… we see on the bodies,” Padey stated.

In one autopsy report, a pathologist noted that an individual who died from heart failure and severe exhaustion had been subjected to electric shock the day before. Other experts who conducted forensic examinations indicated that the bodies showed signs of gangrene or untreated infections.

Journalists emphasise that forensic experts face significant difficulties in determining the causes of death. For example, in some cases, internal organs are missing, and in others, bruises or injuries have been removed. Ukrainian officials believe that the mutilation of bodies is an attempt by Russia to conceal the true causes of death.

“They hold the bodies until they reach a state where nothing can be determined,” said Petro Yatsenko, a representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

By way of background, on May 16, 2025, the bodies of 909 fallen defenders were delivered to Ukraine. They were returned as a result of repatriation efforts. Among the deceased were soldiers who held the defence in the Kurakhove, Pokrovske, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kharkiv directions. Bodies that had previously been stored in morgues on Russian territory were also returned.

Earlier, ZMINA wrote that the Unified Register for Body Identification could start operating in Ukraine as early as 2025. As part of the project, a multidisciplinary team will be created to work with bodies arriving in severe condition. Highly qualified experts are planned to be engaged for their identification, as forensic medical institutions are heavily burdened with their current work.