A former Russian officer spoke to the BBC about the severe torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners by comrades. He reported, among other things, shots in the arms and legs and mock executions.
The man, named Konstantin Yefremov, says he was a lieutenant in the Russian army and was stationed in Ukraine shortly after the offensive war started last year. He later resigned from the army and left Russia.
Yefremov states that on February 10, 2022 – shortly before the Russian attack on Ukraine – he was sent to the Crimean peninsula for “military exercises”. At that time, no one believed that there would be a war – not even the senior officers knew anything.
Agent never wanted to fight
Prior to that, Yefremov had spent three years in Chechnya clearing mines. The Caucasus Republic is one of the most mine regions in the world. The man wanted nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. He says he tried to end his military service, but a colonel threatened to imprison him for up to 10 years for desertion.
With its propaganda, the Kremlin wants to convince the Russians that Moscow is fighting fascists, neo-Nazis and ultra-nationalists. This is an attempt to dehumanize Ukrainians in the eyes of the Russian public and military – and to justify the horrors of war.
“My apologies to all Ukrainians”
In the BBC interview, the ex-officer reported, among other things, on an interrogation in which a prisoner of war was shot in the arms and legs. The injuries were so severe that the Ukrainian almost died of blood loss. He was quickly given first aid, donned a Russian uniform and was taken to hospital. However, he was not allowed to reveal his nationality there – otherwise he would probably have been denied medical attention or, in the worst case, immediately shot.
In so-called mock executions, shots were fired close to the prisoners’ heads – before that, they were led to believe that they would be shot in the head. Instead, they aimed next to the head. Those affected were then deaf. Another man was threatened with rape with a mop. “We will turn you into a girl and send the video to your wife,” the colonel is said to have said.
The BBC has checked the man’s information about his broadcasting time in Ukraine, including documents and photos he submitted, and finds the report credible. There is torture and ill-treatment on both sides in the war in Ukraine, said the head of a United Nations monitoring team in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner. Conditions are particularly bad in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine or in Russia itself.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
