Russia accuses Ukraine of torturing prisoners of war
Now Russian soldiers and their separatist allies with white armbands patrol the ruins of the Soviet-era factory that was once the pride of Mariupol and employed more than 12,000 people (Photo: AFP/Yuri KADOBNOV)
MOSCOW: Russia said on Tuesday (Jul 5) it was investigating the torture of Russian soldiers held prisoner in Ukraine and released as part of a recent swap with Kyiv.
Russia's Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said in a statement that it was "verifying facts of inhuman treatment of Russian soldier prisoners in Ukraine".
Last week Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 144 prisoners of war each - the biggest exchange since President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb 24.
The committee said Moscow's soldiers told investigators about "the violence they had suffered".
According to its statement, one of the soldiers said Ukrainian medics treated him without anaesthesia and that he was "beaten, tortured with electricity" in captivity.
The soldier allegedly said he was left without food and water for days.
Another injured Russian soldier, who had his leg amputated, said he was badly beaten and accused a Ukrainian medic of poking at his wound, the statement said.
The testimonies of the freed Russian soldiers are examples of "violations of the Geneva Convention on prisoners of war", the Investigative Committee said.
