At least 177 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) have been confirmed dead while in Russian captivity since the start of the full-scale invasion.
This data was published by Politico and provided by Viktoriia Tsymbaliuk, a representative of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
However, the actual number is likely to be far higher due to the lack of transparency and international oversight over Russian prisons.
“The more time they spend in Russian prisons, the closer they are to death,” Tsymbaliuk said.
Tsymbaliuk explained that Russia often withholds confirmation of captives and fails to return all the bodies of deceased prisoners.
Ukrainian officials regularly report instances of systematic torture, cruel treatment, and denial of medical care to Ukrainian POWs, contributing to the grim toll.
The absence of international monitors has made it nearly impossible to verify the true number of deaths in Russian detention.
“This is the number that we have,” Tsymbaliuk stated, "but there are likely many more."
