Ukrainian POW lost 40 kg in Russian captivity proving Russia’s human rights violations

A Ukrainian National Guardsman returned home 40 kg (88.1 lb) lighter after spending nearly three years in Russian captivity, according to the soldier’s post on Instagram.

Russian authorities have engaged in widespread and systematic violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in captivity, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Almost every Ukrainian POW interviewed by the UN reported being subjected to torture, including severe beatings, electric shocks, sleep deprivation, dog attacks, mock executions, prolonged stress positions and sexual violence.

POWs are held in overcrowded, unsanitary facilities and deprived of adequate food and water, medical attention and communication with families. Meanwhile Russian POWs in Ukrainian captivity are reportedly treated with adherence to international law.

Ivan Petrovskyy, who turned 30 just two days before his release, was among 175 Ukrainian defenders returned during a prisoner exchange on 19 March.

“I am home. The difference is 1037 days of captivity and minus 40 kilograms,” Petrovsky wrote on Instagram, where he posted before-and-after photos documenting his physical transformation.

Originally from Brovary in Kyiv Oblast, Petrovskyy served in Mariupiol, which was encircled at the beginning of the full-scale war. 

His military service began in 2015 when he was drafted into the National Guard of Ukraine. After completing his mandatory service, he signed a contract to continue serving. 

Petrovsky was eventually transferred to Mariupol, where he joined the 12th Operational Brigade named after Dmytro Vyshnevetsky. He participated in the defense of the city before being captured in May 2022.

According to his mother, Petrovsky was initially held in Olenivka before being transferred to Russia’s Volgograd Oblast. She noted that he experienced health problems during his captivity.

The news of his impending release came as a surprise to his family.

“I didn’t know that my son was being prepared for exchange,” his mother told Ukrinform. “My cousin called me today and said she saw exchange lists with my son on them, but I didn’t believe it. Then an hour later my sunshine called and says: ‘Mom, I’m in Ukraine.’ I prayed for my son every day.”

Petrovsky returned to a family eagerly awaiting his homecoming, including his parents, wife, and two children.

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported that seriously ill Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) are dying in Russian captivity due to denied medical care. 

Since February 2022, approximately 3,956 Ukrainians have been released, but many remain detained under inhumane conditions, suffering from torture and medical neglect.

​The Ukrainian Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) reported a significant increase in deaths among Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) held by Russia, attributing these fatalities to inhumane conditions, torture, inadequate nutrition, and lack of medical care.

MIHR has verified 22 deaths, while relatives estimate the number to be as high as 160. Conditions include minimal food—about three spoons of porridge, half a cup of tea, and two thin slices of bread per day—and limited access to water, with one cup shared among eight individuals. 

These dire circumstances have led to severe health issues, including paralysis and speech loss among detainees, raising serious concerns about Russia’s adherence to international law regarding the treatment of POWs.