Captured

Stories

The prison guards of “Izolyatsia” replicated torture methods shown in the American film The Mauritanian: the account of Daniil Bulhakov about his three years in the “DPR” prisons

"The guys were burning, screaming, someone was torn in half." the Olenivka terror attack and life after it in the memories of azov fighters

Released from captivity, Maksym Butkevych: “I saw what the ‘Russian world’ is like from the inside… It’s a real Mordor in terms of values and freedom.”

“They came again and beat my leg”: a 23-year-old azov fighter on more than three years in russian captivity

Forced confessions, sentenced to life in Russia, and released from captivity: the story of an Azov fighter

“Relatives said: people like you should be wiped out.” The story of a woman who survived torture chambers and escaped twice from occupied Mariupol

Between Torture and Prayer: The Three-Year Captivity of Azovstal’s Only Chaplain

“His back is covered with scars, they beat him to death,” — a border guard captured by a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group.

Neighbors reported them. 280 days of family captivity: abuse and blackmail

Stanislav Aseiev: The fear of being captured again is greater for me than being killed in war

“I dream of living to see my grandson’s exchange.” The story of an Azov fighter’s family who have been waiting for him to return from captivity for three years

“Stripping, rape, and ‘entertainment’ in the sauna: a conversation with a human rights defender about sexual violence and the path to punishing Russians

“I Was a ‘Dead Ukrainian’ for the Russians: The Life of a 64-Year-Old Doctor, Antique Dealer, and Partisan from Donetsk, Held Captive for Seven Years.”

ATO, “Azov,” 11.5 months in captivity, and a return to service: the story of combat medic from Uzhhorod, Halyna Zaitseva

“They burned out tattoos with the names of children”: a naval serviceman on 39 months in Russian captivity

The story of a teacher rescued from captivity in the occupied territory by the Main Intelligence Directorate: '20 years in prison or the death penalty'

He calls torture a ‘spectrum of procedures’ and prison a ‘sanatorium.’ The story of a Kherson man who created the first male network of ‘graduates’ of torture chambers

Released from captivity, Uzhhorod resident Robert Baloh: “In the cell, I set myself one goal — to preserve myself as much as possible.”

"He died because he was bleeding out”: Russians tortured a 59-year-old serviceman in captivity and tried to hide the cause of death

The horrors of Russian captivity: the story of Snake Island defender Vladyslav Zadorin

“You cannot give up territory hoping that it will be the end of the war,” said pediatric doctor and Kremlin prisoner Yurii Shapovalov

“Forced them to perform oral sex”: Russian perpetrators who abused prisoners have been identified

Women Released from Captivity Speak Frankly About the Violence They Endured: Four Stories

‘If You Don’t Tell Me Everything, I’ll Rape Your Sister-in-Arms’: Marine on Brutal Torture of Women in Russian Prisons

Sviatoslav “Kalyna” Palamar on the Pokrovsk direction, the siege and exit from Azovstal, Olenivka, Lefortovo, and his time in Turkey

“Mom, thank you for saving Dad”: the story of a marine’s family who now believe in a New Year’s miracle

Russian Captivity, Combat Missions, and the Death of His Wife: The Story of Former POW ‘Khamzat’

30 Months in Russian Captivity: War, Torture, a Blog, and a Book About Prisoner Life. The Story of a Former POW

“Captivity is a minor thing — the worst was watching Mariupol die”: the story of Azovstal defender Hennadii Zbandut

“I’m walking, blood flooding my boots”: how an Azov fighter survived captivity three times

Izium, a hand with bracelets, Serhii Sova. The story of one photo and the life of a Hero of Ukraine executed by the Russians

“Kh*khly, we’re already tired of beating you.” Azov fighter ‘Yuzhnyi’ on two years of torture in Taganrog, prisoners’ humor, and his own survival system.

The real Sentsov. The story of a director and assault soldier with thick skin

“I consider this a God-pleasing cause.” The story of a chaplain and IT specialist from Luhansk who became an FPV drone operator.

"There were 20% of prison guards loyal to us in captivity": An interview with a soldier of the Third Assault Brigade, Maksym Levchenko

“I miss his fried potatoes and the word ‘kitty’”: 5 stories about couples separated by captivity

“See you soon” and a life sentence: what it’s like to wait for a loved one from Siberia in the 21st century

“Russia Is a Big Prison” — Head of Institute of National Remembrance on Systematic Use of Sexual Violence Against Ukrainian Men

A son and brother ‘reunited’ thanks to a YouTube video: how Russia hides Azov prisoners from the world

“Even darker horrors unfold in the torture chambers”: Azovstal defender “Nava” releases a book about captivity

He escaped captivity twice, but failed the third time. The story of a Mariupol defender who finally returned home

Survived captivity and spoke out: what Russian forces do to prisoners of war.

“I remember the smell of burnt bodies and the glass wool falling on my skin like a thousand needles.” The story of Azov fighter “Kraft” who survived the Olenivka attack

After captivity — without arms and legs. A Ukrainian soldier learns to live and dreams of driving again

"Azov" and "Azovstal, captivity, Olenivka, torture in a detention center, the exchange, and the first tiramisu in freedom — Svitlana Vorova (call sign ‘Hrazia’) speaks in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda about 11 months of Russian captivity.

Unbreakable: the story of a Kharkiv woman who, at 70, ended up in a Russian occupation basement prison

We were given three books. One of them always had to be written by Lenin”: Azov fighter Yaroslav on Mariupol, captivity, and freedom

“Now I will live for two”: the love story of Valeriia and Andrii, who married in a bunker at Azovstal

“There, on the little star – Kyrylo”: a mother’s story of surviving captivity and losing her soldier son

“I Cannot Do Otherwise”: the Life of a Ukrainian Soldier Before His Execution in Captivity

“They don’t consider you a human being”: stories of women who survived Russian captivity.

The first exchange of women: what happened to Ukrainian servicewomen in Russian captivity.

“Not forgetting is not enough. I ask you to speak”: a wife’s story of an Azov fighter who survived the Olenivka attack.

A Marine from Zmiinyi: captivity, interrogations about the “Russian warship,” and Bandera

“They told my mother that I am an enemy of the people,” – the story of the head of the Dvorichanska community, who spent nearly three months in captivity

"No replies to my messages": a love story torn apart by occupation and captivity

“I heard them carrying out bodies”: an ATO veteran from Kherson recounts how he survived captivity by Russian occupiers

"I dream that one day I will return home — to a Ukrainian Mariupol": Kira Obedynska, the first girl returned from occupation, in Uzhhorod

'A week in the basement, starving and losing my mind' – a childcare worker from Kherson on her captivity during the occupation

Torture and ‘Terrorism’ Cases: The Story of Mariupol Volunteers Released from Captivity in Olenivka

“In that hell, she said goodbye to life more than once.” The story of a woman who returned from Russian captivity

Azov fighter ‘Vyshnia’ returned from captivity speaks about interrogations and threats over the Ukrainian language

An Azov Regiment fighter on suicides within the walls of Azovstal and death penalty threats in captivity by the occupiers

Tork from the Azov Regiment on captivity: ‘They went berserk over the map of Ukraine on my chest

Declared missing, but held captive: the story of a 19-year-old marine defending Mariupol