"There was a lot of abuse": A former prisoner of war recounts his experiences in Russian captivity
Source: Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty Author: Oksana Necheporenko
He spent nearly three years in captivity and endured countless acts of torture. Maksym Yurchenko, a private in the Ukrainian National Guard, was taken prisoner at the start of the invasion. He was serving right on the border with Russia and, in the very first days of the war, found himself effectively behind the lines of the attacking Russian forces. For nearly a month, he and his unit tried to break through to Ukrainian forces, but in late March 2022, he was taken prisoner. Over the course of three years, the soldier was held in five prisons, the most horrific of which was in Siberia. He endured interrogations, torture, and abuse. He was shocked with a stun gun, waterboarded, and forced to use stones to scrub off the tattoo on his arm—a trident with a traditional embroidered shirt. But he believed he would return home to Kharkiv. He was exchanged on February 5 of this year. He spoke to Radio Free Europe about what he went through and why he won’t restore the tattoo that his tormentors ruined.
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Europe/Radio Liberty Author: Oksana Necheporenko
He spent nearly three years in captivity and endured countless acts of torture. Maksym Yurchenko, a private in the Ukrainian National Guard, was taken prisoner at the start of the invasion. He was serving right on the border with Russia and, in the very first days of the war, found himself effectively behind the lines of the attacking Russian forces. For nearly a month, he and his unit tried to break through to Ukrainian forces, but in late March 2022, he was taken prisoner. Over the course of three years, the soldier was held in five prisons, the most horrific of which was in Siberia. He endured interrogations, torture, and abuse. He was shocked with a stun gun, waterboarded, and forced to use stones to scrub off the tattoo on his arm—a trident with a traditional embroidered shirt. But he believed he would return home to Kharkiv. He was exchanged on February 5 of this year. He spoke to Radio Free Europe about what he went through and why he won’t restore the tattoo that his tormentors ruined.
If you’d prefer to watch the video with subtitles in another language, go to YouTube Settings → Subtitles → Auto-translate and select the language of your choice.
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