The first so-called screening of those returning to Ukraine as a result of prisoner swaps shows that up to 90% of prisoners of war (POW) are subjected to physical and mental torture, Prosecutor General of Ukraine Andriy Kostin has said.

"The first so-called screening – an informal conversation with prisoners of war who are now returning – shows that up to 90% of our people suffer from various types of torture, inhumane treatment, physical, including sexual, and mental violence," he said during a workshop for media on international law of armed conflicts and holding Russia accountable for international crimes.

"The system created by Russia is a system of torture and inhumane treatment towards those who find themselves in their hands – in the occupied territories or in the territories of the Russian Federation," Kostin said.

Head of the Ukraine Team Office of the Prosecutor International Criminal Court (ICC) Brenda J. Hollis said, when speaking about approaches to investigating torture in places of detention, it is more about trends than about quantity, adding that a certain category of prisoners is subjected to torture and it is necessary to find witnesses and obtain the necessary evidence.

The ICC Team looks at the broader picture that represents the crimes, Hollis said, adding that the actions of mid- and high-level perpetrators of such crimes, who are subordinate to specific criminals, are being scrutinized.