“In the de-occupied territories of Kharkiv Oblast, ten torture chambers have been discovered so far. Six of them were in the city of Izium, in the places of deployment of the Russian armed forces, where there were service members of the Russian Guard, employees of the FSB, representatives of the Russian police – ‘SOBR’ and other units. Two torture chambers – in the city of Balaklia. One torture chamber – in the village of Hrakove, Chuhuiv district, and one torture chamber – in the city of Vovchansk. We know for sure that people were tortured there, and we already have information about those who died there,” Klymenko said.
Locals refer to such torture chambers in the Russian-occupied territories as “basement” with “get to the basement” meaning to be detained by Russians and end up behind bars.
According to Klymenko, the Russian torture chambers in Izium were located at:
- the district administration,
- the local police office,
- the building of the Security Service,
- the prosecutor’s office,
- the center for providing administrative services,
- the military commissariat.
The one in Vovchansk was on the premises of the aggregate plant.
According to Klymenko, the death of a 40-year-old man from torture in Balaklia has already been confirmed:
“This is a local farmer who was tortured to death. He was killed by a noose,” the National Police chief said.
Also, the National Police Chief says that seven Sri Lankan citizens were freed from Russian captivity in Kharkiv Oblast. Those are the students of Kupiansk Medical College who had tried to get to Kharkiv when the Russians entered Kupiansk. Russians detained them, placed them in a cell in Vovchansk, and tortured them:
“Their nails were pulled out with pliers. Everyone is in an emotionally unstable state. These people were in torture chambers for several months,” Klymenko said.
