Kalinin Penal Colony No. 27
Donetsk Oblast, Horlivka
Temporarily occupied territories
Penal Colony
Active
Kalinin Penal Colony No. 27, located in Russian-occupied Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, has been used to detain large numbers of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Prisoners were routinely transported to Donetsk for interrogations or sham trials. Even after receiving sentences, many POWs are returned to the Horlivka colony for continued detention.
According to testimonies, beatings and coercion were used to extract forced confessions. Former prisoners have reported that those returning from interrogations or court procedures had signs of torture, severe bruising or were unable to walk. In at least one known case, a POW confessed under torture to killing nine civilians.
There is no available information regarding medical care or assistance in Kalinin Penal Colony No. 27.
There is insufficient testimony to assess the quality or availability of food and sanitation in the colony.
Psychological abuse appeared to be systematic and closely tied to Russian propaganda narratives. Interrogations focused heavily on the battle for Mariupol, regardless of whether the captured soldier had any relation to the events there. This applied even to those detained in entirely different parts of the front. The aim was to construct a false narrative blaming Ukraine for civilian deaths in Mariupol. Coerced “testimonies” were gathered under duress to support disinformation.
“There are a great number of civilian deaths in Mariupol. Russia wants to blame Ukraine for them – that is obvious. But these testimonies, if they can even be called that, are often extracted under torture”, – said Olena Bieliachkova, a representative of the human rights organisation Media Initiative for Human Rights.
“In one interview, a former prisoner of war recalled that a guy from his barrack came back so badly beaten he could no longer move on his own – he had ‘confessed’ to killing nine people” – Olena Bieliachkova.
Overview
Kalinin Penal Colony No. 27, located in Russian-occupied Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, has been used to detain large numbers of Ukrainian prisoners of war. Prisoners were routinely transported to Donetsk for interrogations or sham trials. Even after receiving sentences, many POWs are returned to the Horlivka colony for continued detention.
Torture & Abuse
According to testimonies, beatings and coercion were used to extract forced confessions. Former prisoners have reported that those returning from interrogations or court procedures had signs of torture, severe bruising or were unable to walk. In at least one known case, a POW confessed under torture to killing nine civilians.
Medical Care
There is no available information regarding medical care or assistance in Kalinin Penal Colony No. 27.
Food & Sanitation
There is insufficient testimony to assess the quality or availability of food and sanitation in the colony.
Psychological Pressure
Psychological abuse appeared to be systematic and closely tied to Russian propaganda narratives. Interrogations focused heavily on the battle for Mariupol, regardless of whether the captured soldier had any relation to the events there. This applied even to those detained in entirely different parts of the front. The aim was to construct a false narrative blaming Ukraine for civilian deaths in Mariupol. Coerced “testimonies” were gathered under duress to support disinformation.
Testimonies & Reports
“There are a great number of civilian deaths in Mariupol. Russia wants to blame Ukraine for them – that is obvious. But these testimonies, if they can even be called that, are often extracted under torture”, – said Olena Bieliachkova, a representative of the human rights organisation Media Initiative for Human Rights.
“In one interview, a former prisoner of war recalled that a guy from his barrack came back so badly beaten he could no longer move on his own – he had ‘confessed’ to killing nine people” – Olena Bieliachkova.
News
see more
EU imposed sanctions on the heads and staff of colonies where Ukrainian POWs are tortured
On 13 July, the Council of the European Union adopted a decision imposing restrictive measures on 15 individuals and one entity responsible for violations of the rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war and unlawfully detained civilians. Most of those listed are heads and staff of penal colonies where prisoners are held.
Around 700 Azov POWs in captivity, over 250 already sentenced: presentation of the Civic Evidence report
On June 30, in Kyiv, at Ukrinform, the independent initiative Civic Evidence presented its report "The Honorable Captivity of Azov: How Propaganda, Violence, and Trials Shape the Fate of Ukrainian Prisoners of War in Russia." The study focuses on the situation of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Azov regiment and exposes a mechanism that combines Russian propaganda machinery, practices of torture, and fabricated criminal prosecution. The authors document the systemic nature of Russia's violations of international humanitarian law and call for strengthening international mechanisms to protect prisoners of war.
Russian medics torture prisoners of war: a new study by human rights defenders
On 24 June, the Center for Civil Liberties presented the analytical study "Anatomy of Torture" in Kyiv. The document examines the role of Russian medical personnel in the torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war and illegally detained civilians.
questions & answers
You can make a difference
Have a question, a message, or something important to share?
Whether it’s information, a concern, or a word of support, we want to hear from you.
Every voice matters.