Prisoners: an instrument of terror and a method of enrichment

July 2014. Sloviansk. Donetsk region

“The basic place, where ours hostages were held – was Security Service of Ukraine. This build, which is behind. Here were held main hostages, that according to militant opinion, constituted a menace either that could be, also there were two air-raid shelters, where they had been tortured and interrogated”, tells Oleg Kotenko, the coordinator of volunteers groups hostage rescue “Patriot”.

July 2014. Sloviansk. Donetsk region. Cellar of SSU

“Firstly I was blindfolded and tied by hands, then they let me down the second floor in a security cabin, after that they untie my eyes and hands. They noticed that I’m calm and I wouldn’t run away. At the next day (April, 16), I was moved here in a small room, where I have been for a few days. And until the next day, at the morning, they tied me again. After that was interrogation. Than I was near of five days tied. I had an eye injury, so they untie me”, tells Sergei, the journalist, a hostage of “DPR” rebels.  

January 2015. Donetsk. Ukrainian military. A hostage of “DPR” rebels

According to the civil initiatives responsible for the search and release of the prisoners from the beginning of the military conflict in Eastern Ukraine between 10 000 and 15 000 were kidnapped and held hostages by pro-Russian forces.

– Where usually our guys fall into the trap?

– When warfare is going on, – speaks Oleg Kotenko, the coordinator of volunteers groups hostage rescue “Patriot”, – Battle of Illovaisk, first, Battle of Debaltseve, second, there were the biggest booms, when a lot of people was captured, near of 100, 150, 200 people, Civilian captured every day. Every day. We have a lot of signals. We even not answer. We have no time to notice. We write down one lastname, we recall, but they are released. We still try to find them, try to make some arrangement, but other side already released them two weeks ago. We have no feedbacks. If it was, such as with POW’s and their mothers. We clearly understand what’s going on. With civilian we have the worst situation.

July 2014. Sloviansk. Donetsk region. Cellar of SSU

Civil activists, people who openly declare their pro-Ukrainian position, volunteers, people suspected of having links with the Ukrainian security officials, independent journalists who criticize the actions of the separatists, businessmen and officials who didn’t take the side of rebels.

July 2014. Sloviansk. Donetsk region. Cellar of SSU

One-third of the total number of prisoners belonged to this group.

September 2015. Kostyantynivka. Donetsk region. City Council

They were subjected to the most refined torture and were kept in captivity for much longer – from several days to couple of months.

May 2014, Kyiv

“In the day of the President elections, I came, as a journalist, to show election process for ZIK channel. Towards evening, when we drive up to the separatist’s checkpoint in the Schastya town, they asked us to get out from the car and began to frisk us. They find out technical equipment, said that we are Ukrainian spies, that we stole this equipment. They hit me with the bbuttstock to the back of my head and I lost consciousness. I hardly remember anything. As my colleague said, we were together. They bit us, interrogate. I had a cerebral contusion, they break me a rib, burned with cigarettes, pierced heels. Somewhere traces left”, tells Vyacheslav, the journalist, a hostage of “LPR” Rebels

September 2015. Kostyantynivka. Donetsk region. City Council

Some of the prisoners, unable to bear the torture, died, some were executed. It’s impossible to say the exact number of victims among civilians that were abducted. Rebels try to hide these facts and Ukrainian authorities are reluctant to documenting and investigating these cases even if they are high profile.

Oleg Kotenko, the coordinator of volunteers groups hostage rescue “Patriot”: “With civilians everything is more difficult, because the state of Ukraine, to be honestly, do not care about civilians that are in captive. Just volunteer organizations gives opportunities to released, negotiate etc.

October 2015. Kyiv. The return of Ukrainian Prisoners Of War

Despite the recommendations of the European institutions, the Ukrainian government hasn’t still created the legislation that identifies and provides guarantees for prisoners and an effective and clear procedure for responding to the problem.