The Russian judicial system has turned the criminal prosecution of Ukrainians into a widespread practice. As of May 2026, at least 2,441 cases against prisoners of war and civilians have been documented, of which more than 1,700 have already resulted in convictions. Human rights activists emphasize that these verdicts are handed down under duress, through the use of torture, and without evidence, which calls into question their legality and turns Russian courts into instruments of repression.
This was reported by released prisoners of war and experts during the presentation of the analytical brief “Criminalization of Resistance: How the Russian Federation Persecutes Ukrainians for Defending Their Homeland and Opposing the Occupation,” prepared by the International Renaissance Foundation and the Media Initiative for Human Rights.
The analysis focuses on the stories of Ukrainian soldiers who were held captive by Russia and put on trial. One of them is Vladislav Andrianov, a fighter with the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine’s “Azov” unit. He quips that he was “convicted for his imagination and ingenuity.” In reality, this refers to a “confession” to a crime that he fabricated under pressure following prolonged torture.
According to him, immediately after being taken prisoner, he was subjected to pressure: he was tortured, intimidated, blackmailed, and forced to confess to “crimes” or defect to Russia.
“Every time during the torture, they told me, ‘Confess to the crimes you’ve committed, and it will all stop.’ At some point, I got so tired of the torture that I made up a story about how I supposedly killed a civilian. I thought it through in every detail so as not to frame anyone,” the man says.
After that, the torture of Vladislav ceased, and that “confession” became the basis for his sentence—25 years in prison.
According to him, the trial was not fair because there was no evidence, and the verdict was in fact based solely on his testimony, which had been obtained under duress. His attorney did not contest the charges, and the trial was merely a formality. After the verdict, he was held alongside Russian prisoners, including those convicted of serious crimes.
A similar ordeal was endured by former Marine Corps company commander Serhiy Benza, who was held at Penal Colony No. 6, “Black Dolphin.” He was accused of ordering the shooting of civilians and sentenced to life in prison.
“This is how they do it: they summon a ‘witness,’ take him into the next room, and torture him, while I hear everything happening behind the wall. And you confess just so they’ll stop torturing that person. People can hold out for a very long time—many of them are still holding out. But they’re putting pressure on our sense of humanity. They’re using collective punishment, just like in the USSR, because they know we can’t take it,” the Marine noted.
The trial was also a mere formality, and the verdict was read so quickly that Serhiy didn’t even realize it right away. Afterward, he was forced to waive his right to appeal.
Human rights activists emphasized that these are not isolated incidents, but part of a systematic pattern. As of May 2026, 2,441 cases of criminal prosecution against Ukrainian military personnel and civilians had been documented, with more than 1,700 of them resulting in convictions.
Russia is persecuting not only military personnel but also civilians—for volunteering, assisting the army, holding pro-Ukrainian views, making donations, managing social media channels, or simply for disloyalty to the occupation.
According to Anna Rassamakhina, head of the “War and Justice” department at the International Institute for Human Rights (IIHR), these cases function as a single mechanism, so all Russian government agencies act in coordination, passing cases up the chain of command, and torture is effectively part of the process of securing convictions.
She also noted that the Russian Federation ignores international humanitarian law, particularly the principle of combatant immunity, which prohibits punishing military personnel solely for participating in hostilities.
“The Russian Federation finds Ukrainian military personnel guilty solely on the basis that they are military personnel and participated in an armed conflict,” the expert noted.
As Rassamakhina pointed out, the Russian system is self-contradictory, since Ukrainian military personnel are simultaneously accused of war crimes while the very existence of an international armed conflict is denied, with the war being referred to as a “special military operation.”
As Rassamakhina pointed out, the Russian system is self-contradictory, since Ukrainian military personnel are simultaneously accused of war crimes while the very existence of an international armed conflict is denied, with the war being referred to as a “special military operation.”
Despite the obvious illegality of such proceedings, human rights defenders emphasize that they should not be underestimated. Formally, these are court rulings issued by a state recognized by the international community, and this is precisely where one of the main threats lies.
It should be recalled that Russian troops are systematically committing sexualized violence against men in Ukraine. After occupying a region, they establish a network of locations where they hold civilians in custody. The key objectives of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) are to control, dominate, and humiliate the victims.
Source: ZMINA
