Russian occupiers continue systematic violations of international law against Ukrainian prisoners of war (POW), according to a report released by the UN Human Rights Office on Monday.
It is reported that between mid-November 2025 and January 2026, the occupiers executed at least 16 captured Ukrainian servicemen. Since February 2022, the UN Human Rights Office has verified the executions of 129 Ukrainian POWs and others hors de combat by Russian forces.
Nearly all repatriated Ukrainian POWs interviewed for the report described torture or ill-treatment during captivity, including severe beatings, electric shocks, denial of adequate medical care, and other forms of abuse. The report also documents conflict-related sexual violence against Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilian detainees, and civilians in occupied territory.
It is reported that in the territory occupied by Russia, cases of torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary detention, concerns regarding the right to a fair trial, and forced conscription of protected persons have been documented, alongside the continued prohibition of the Ukrainian curriculum and the forced implementation by the aggressor state of its own military-patriotic education classes among children.
The report contains recommendations to Russia, Ukraine, and the international community aimed at strengthening the protection of civilians, ensuring accountability, supporting victims, and restoring critical infrastructure and essential services.
The report is based on 1,926 interviews with victims and witnesses, 180 site visits, 48 visits to places of deprivation of liberty, 78 visits to hospitals, monitoring of 33 court hearings, as well as technical analysis, analysis of satellite imagery, and open-source data.
