Two heads of a pretrial detention center in Vyazma, Russia, are accused of systematic torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war that lasted for several years. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to UNN.
Under the procedural guidance of the Office of the Prosecutor General, on April 28, 2026, suspicion was notified to two citizens of the Russian Federation — the deputy head and the head of the security department of Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in the city of Vyazma, Smolensk region,
According to the investigation, they are involved in the ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war held in this facility.
These are systematic actions that continued throughout 2022–2025. The prisoners were not only kept in custody but also subjected to physical and psychological violence aimed at humiliating and breaking them, specifically due to their service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and participation in deterring armed aggression.
The investigation recorded regular beatings with hands, feet, rubber and wooden batons, shovels, and other objects. Electric shocks were also used — current was applied to various parts of the body.
These actions are systematic in nature and contradict the basic norms of international humanitarian law, which expressly prohibits torture and any cruel or degrading treatment of prisoners of war.
The actions of the suspects are qualified as a violation of the laws and customs of war. The sanction of the article provides for 8 to 12 years of imprisonment (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).