Overview

• The UN human rights office documented torture and ill-treatment of civilian detainees in occupied Ukrainian territory and inside Russia, mapping over 100 facilities across multiple regions.
• About 92% of interviewed former detainees reported abuse, including severe beatings, electric shocks, prolonged stress positions, mock executions and sexual violence.
• Investigators confirmed at least 36 deaths linked to torture, poor conditions or lack of medical care, and verified at least 400 ongoing civilian detentions.
• Ukrainian authorities estimate roughly 15,000 civilians have been detained by Russia since 2022, with about 1,800 still held as of May 2025.
• The report also records instances of ill-treatment by Ukrainian authorities in government-controlled areas, while Moscow offered no immediate comment and has previously denied using torture.