The independent initiative Civic Evidence has released a comprehensive report titled “‘Honorable Captivity’ of Azov: The System of Propaganda, Violence, and Criminal Prosecution of Servicemembers of the National Guard of Ukraine in the Russian Federation.” The report details the fate of the «Azov» service members in Russian captivity, illustrating how propaganda narratives, systemic violence, and the Russian judicial system cooperate to construct a negative image of the fighters and justify their heinous mistreatment.
Month: May 2026
“Made in Russia. Delivered to Captivity”: Project on Russia’s Crimes Against POWs Presented in Kyiv
The project “Made in Russia. Delivered to Captivity” was presented in Kyiv. The event marks the 4th anniversary of the Mariupol garrison’s withdrawal from “Azovstal” after 86 days of heroic defense of the city. Back then, under the provided guarantees, the defenders of Mariupol fulfilled the order of the higher command to save lives. However, the Russian Federation violated these guarantees—the majority of the “Azovstal” defenders are now in their fifth year of suffering from daily crimes in Russian captivity.
Azov medic Oleksandr Krokhmaliuk tortured to death in captivity
Another Ukrainian prisoner of war has died in Russian captivity — Oleksandr Krokhmaliuk, a military medic of the Azov brigade, died as a result of torture. This was reported by Azov deputy commander Sviatoslav “Kalyna” Palamar. Krokhmaliuk joined Azov back in 2016.
“It’s Not a War Crime If You Had Fun”: Execution of POWs as Russian State Policy
The execution and torture of prisoners of war is a Kremlin state policy, honed over decades of wars of conquest. In the course of the Russia-Ukraine war, the Russian military has taken its most brutal practices to a new level on a horrifying scale. As of the end of 2025, the Russians had executed at least 337 Ukrainian prisoners of war — a grave war crime.