160 Russian torture chambers found in the liberated territories, – Prosecutor General
Source: Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin on TV
After the liberation of the Ukrainian territories, prosecutors and investigators have discovered more than 160 torture chambers and places of detention where the Russians held and tortured Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war.
The largest number of such places were found in Chernihiv region – 44, in Kharkiv region – 25 and Zaporizhzhia region – 18.
The Prosecutor General’s Office recorded thousands of cases of torture by the Russian military against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war.
Despite the massive use of torture by the Russian military, it is impossible to name the exact number of victims, because people are still being held captive in the temporarily occupied territories and in the territory of Russia.
Currently, more than 450 criminal proceedings have been registered regarding the facts of ill-treatment and torture of prisoners of war and more than 2,100 regarding the facts of torture of civilians. More than 3,800 civilians and more than 2,200 prisoners of war have been recognized as victims of torture and inhumane treatment.
After the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine witnessed an unprecedented wave of private support for the army. Citizens, big businesses, charitable foundations, and international philanthropists began financing the country’s defense alongside state assistance provided by international partners. Estimates of total private contributions range from tens to hundreds of billions of hryvnias. However, determining the exact amount remains difficult. In many cases, companies combine military aid, humanitarian programs, tax payments, social spending, and employee support in their reporting.
Rinat Akhmetov’s military initiative, “Steel Front”, has delivered a batch of drones worth UAH 214 million to the 1st “Azov” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. This shipment is part of the Metinvest Group’s ongoing support for the unit in 2025.
On October 6, the Administrative Cassation Court within the Supreme Court of Ukraine continued hearing case No. 990/80/25, in which the fifth President and leader of the party “European Solidarity”, Petro Poroshenko, seeks to have Presidential Decree No. 81/2025 from February 12, 2025 — enacting sanctions by the decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) — declared illegal and annulled. The plaintiff claims the document was falsified and that the sanctions are a tool of political persecution of the opposition, contrary to international norms. Government representatives deny the allegations and insist their actions were lawful. Journalists of Bukvy were present at the hearing.
Rinat Akhmetov’s Metinvest Group has completed the construction of an upgraded underground NATO Role 2 hospital in one of the hottest sectors of the frontline. This is the second stabilization point established under the Steel Front initiative in cooperation with the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The new facility, funded by Metinvest with an investment of UAH 21 million, is more secure than the first one thanks to its deeper location underground (over 6 meters) and additional fortifications.
Five armored vehicles “Kozak” have received a new mission – thanks to the support of Metinvest, they have been upgraded to full-fledged command and staff vehicles. These upgraded vehicles are now operating on the front line.