Russian-Ukrainian war
A typical day in a Russian prison (a diary of a civilian hostage)
ZMINA has obtained a diary written by one of the Kremlin’s prisoners, Dmytro (name changed for security reasons), which he secretly kept throughout his imprisonment. We also spoke with Yevgen Yamkovyi and Viacheslav Zavalnyi, who learned firsthand what the modern Russian penitentiary system is like
Activists identified the route by which children from the occupied Ukrainian territories are deported to Belarus
The group presented its findings in a research paper released in early August 2023
More than 180 educational institutions in Kyiv region, destroyed by Russians, restored
136 schools and 175 kindergartens were located in the combat zone or on the temporarily occupied territory. Before the full-scale invasion of the Russian army, more than 52,000 students and almost 15,000 kindergarteners were studying there
Ukrainian Institute presents an English-language guide on Ukrainian culture, personalities, and events
On Ukraine’s Independence Day, the Ukrainian Institute, a governmental agency focused on promoting Ukrainian culture, launched Insight UA, an English-language comprehensive guide to Ukrainian culture, personalities, and events, as noted in its press release. Insight UA’s platform covers various cultural topics: music, literature, theatre, film, visual arts, Crimea, and analytical reports. The resources include access […]
Families of POWs and missing persons unite to oversee the work of state bodies in Ukraine
The families of prisoners of war (POWs) and missing persons believe that Ukraine’s government’s plan to transfer the Commissioner for Missing Persons functions to three different agencies will significantly impair the families’ ability to communicate directly with the authorities and search for their loved ones. Therefore, they plan to create an association of civil society […]
Four stories of missing persons in the occupied territories of Ukraine
ZMINA retells four stories about the abduction and disappearance of Mykola Harbar, a hunter; Vasyl, a handyman; Volodymyr Khorolsky, a territorial defense volunteer; and Artur Baranets, a policeman
Almost 80% of Ukrainian refugees and IDPs plan to return home, UN study
76% of refugees and 82% of internally displaced Ukrainians plan to return home whenever possible. At the same time, about 15% of both refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) say they want to do so within the next three months. Karen Whiting, Deputy Representative of the UN Refugee Agency in Ukraine, shared in the podcast […]
Older people and some families with children refuse to leave the evacuation areas in Kharkiv region
The head of the Kupyansk city military administration emphasized that the evacuation is not mandatory, so those who do not want to leave can refuse by writing a statement
A story of an elderly man from Balakliya on a 12-day hunger strike in Russian captivity
Russian occupying forces took 73-year-old Viktor Illinsky from his home in Balakliya, Kharkiv region, in early August 2022. They wrapped a jacket around his head, put him in a military jeep, and drove him to the local police station. He was held with other civilian hostages, including another man in his 70s, in a cramped […]
Crimean Human Rights initiative sounds alarm over decreasing healthcare for civilians in occupied Crimea
According to Qirim Gayesi, the maintenance of healthcare institutions has been severely compromised since the onset of the Russian invasion. Heads of medical institutions in Crimea were instructed to send surgeons and surgical nurses to the Ministry of Defense of the occupying country
Three stories about the abuse and inhumane conditions for Ukrainian women prisoners
During the war, Russian occupying forces abducted and held in prisons not only Ukrainian men but also women, regardless of age and status. Women are also subjected to torture, intimidation, and horrific conditions. They are accused of terrorism, adjusting fire, and collaborating with the Ukrainian armed forces. According to the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily […]
Signs of genocide: Russia’s crimes against children – Report
Human rights defenders concluded that these processes are carried out on the initiative and with the broad support of the Russian leadership, which aims to destroy the ties of Ukrainian children with their national group and make it impossible for them to return to Ukraine
More than 500 Ukrainian doctors are in Russian captivity
More than 500 Ukrainian healthcare workers, both civilian and military, are currently being held captive by Russian occupying forces. According to Andriy Kryvtsov, head of the NGO Military Medics of Ukraine, they are subjected to ill-treatment and torture in prisons. “More than 500 civilian and military medics are in Russian captivity. The Russian Federation disregards […]
Almost 16% of respondents across Ukraine said they had witnessed Russian war crimes
Almost 16% of Ukrainians across the country said they had witnessed Russian war crimes. These are the findings of a study conducted by the International Center for Ukrainian Victory (ICUV) in cooperation with the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Center for Political Sociology. The sociologists interviewed 2001 respondents aged 18 and older, and […]
A resident of Nova Kakhovka, abducted three times, was found in one of the Simferopol detention centers
Russian occupying forces tortured the man and tried to find out whether Leonid Adolfovych Kondratsky was the great-grandson of Adolf Hitler
‘Women are not beaten here in Ukraine, but our hands are free’: How Russians held women in seized TDC in Kherson
At different times, at least 30 local women were held at a temporary detention center (TDC) in Kherson, including a policewoman, a housewife, a cadet of a military educational institution, and a head teacher of a gymnasium. This is described in the analytical report "‘Women's cells’ of Kherson torture chamber" which was prepared by Human Rights Centre ZMINA specialists based on testimonies of victims.
Mariupol policewoman Mariana Chechelyuk’s health has deteriorated significantly over the year of captivity
For a year, the occupiers transported the woman from one prison to another, subjected her to physical and psychological pressure, and created unbearable detention conditions. Currently, Mariana Chechelyuk needs medical care, which is not provided to her in the Taganrog detention center
How to return Ukrainian journalism to the de-occupied territories?
ZMINA collected the opinions of journalists and experts
Columns
Ukrainian parliament appeals for NATO membership as foundation for lasting peace
Ukraine rejects “pacifying the aggressor” as a path to peace
“Appeasement never works”: Lessons from Bosnia’s post-war justice
Liberia demands Russia immediately halt aggression and restore Crimea to Ukraine
