SBU Announces Charges Against Former Head of Occupation Prison in Luhansk Region for Torturing Ukrainian Prisoners

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has announced that it has formally charged a former head of an occupation prison in the Luhansk region, who is accused of torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war. The announcement was made by the SBU press service on Monday, April 6.

According to the investigation, the individual in question is a staff member of correctional colony No. 4 in the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), who served as the head of this occupation facility from October 2022 to January 2024. During this period, he not only managed the prison staff but also personally participated in the torture of prisoners, which has sparked outrage among human rights activists.

In his leadership role, this resident of Luhansk ordered his subordinates to carry out brutal torture on Ukrainian military personnel who had been captured. The SBU reported that the perpetrator regularly employed physical force, beating prisoners with his hands and feet, as well as using a rubber baton known as the PR-73 and even a carpenter's hammer. In some instances, he resorted to using an electric shock device, inflicting even greater suffering on his victims.

The Security Service of Ukraine emphasized that such actions grossly violate international norms, particularly articles 4, 13, 14, 15, and 130 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, adopted on August 12, 1949. This convention prohibits any forms of cruel treatment of military personnel who have been captured and obligates states to protect their rights.

SBU investigators have formally charged the perpetrator under part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to war crimes. This decision marks a significant step in the fight against impunity for crimes against humanity committed during the war.

Additionally, earlier reports from the media outlet Mediazona indicated that the Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated former SBU General Volodymyr Lyapkin, who had led a department within the security service before fighting on the side of Russia against Ukraine. This information suggests that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are actively working to identify and hold accountable individuals who have betrayed their country and committed crimes during the war.

Thus, the Security Service of Ukraine continues its efforts to investigate war crimes committed during the armed conflict, striving to ensure justice for all victims of these atrocities.