A Ukrainian soldier has recounted the traumatic abuse he purportedly faced while serving in the conflict for his nation.
Since February 2022, Ukraine has been caught in a brutal conflict with Russia. According to Statista, this war has resulted in the deaths of over 13,000 civilians and nearly 34,000 injuries.
Additionally, the New York Times reported that within the first 18 months of the conflict, approximately 500,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers lost their lives.
There have been allegations of torture by Russian forces, supported by reports such as the return of a Ukrainian journalist’s body to her country without internal organs.
Now, a Ukrainian soldier who survived his claimed torture is revealing his experiences.
Vladislav, a 33-year-old National Guardsman, recounts having his throat cut and being left to die in a pit with seven other soldiers.
Believing them dead, the Russians allegedly covered their bodies with trash for concealment.
Despite severe injuries, Vladislav managed to crawl to safety, reaching a Ukrainian base after five days.
Now, he is sharing his account of the ordeal.
Speaking through Ukrainian outlet Suspilny, Vladislav’s wife, Victoria, relayed his experiences, as Vladislav is unable to speak and documented everything in a diary.
Victoria explained: “At first, they caught him alone, and then they took him to the basement, where there were completely different soldiers. There were two of them there, and these two were mocking them.”
This capture happened after his brigade lost control of a position near Pokrovsk weeks prior.
Those captured before Vladislav, allegedly from intelligence, suffered brutal mutilations including gouged eyes, cut lips, and other severe injuries.
Vladislav managed to escape from the pit with his hands bound by using a broken bottle to free himself.
His doctor shared with the news outlet that Vladislav’s wounds had begun to rot due to significant blood loss.
On August 17, Vladislav was admitted to a medical facility in the Dnipropetrovsk region in critical condition.
He has since undergone surgery, and medical professionals are working tirelessly to help him regain his ability to speak and breathe independently.