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.
Amendments to Ukraine’s enforcement proceedings legislation, initiated by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, have entered into force. Among other measures, the reform provides for the automated lifting of attachments on bank accounts immediately after debts in enforcement proceedings have been fully settled. The main practical benefit for citizens is the complete elimination of the need to contact an enforcement officer in person and wait for paper decisions once the debt has been paid.
The 157th Separate Mechanized Brigade has received another batch of supplies as part of Rinat Akhmetov’s Steel Front military initiative. This time, the military received seven quad bikes and four mobile shower and bath units.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.