The Security Service of Ukraine has exposed and officially announced suspicion against four individuals involved in the brutal torture of Ukrainian prisoners of war on the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk region
This news marks an important step in uncovering the truth regarding the widespread crimes committed by Russian military formations in the eastern part of the country and demonstrates Ukraine’s determination to hold all those responsible for these heinous acts accountable. According to information provided by the Security Service, investigators have gathered compelling evidence against four former employees of a correctional facility in Sukhodilsk — one of the districts seized by Russian occupiers in the early months of the invasion. According to case materials, these individuals, after the temporary occupation of the community, voluntarily or under duress, switched to the side of the enemy and began cooperating with the occupation administration. As a result, they were involved in establishing and operating an "administration" at the captured prison, where the oppressive regime carried out functions of a repressive institution. Among the suspects, the most well-known are Kyrylo Dolgopolov — head of the "operational department" in the prison, and his subordinates: inspectors Leonid Rudenko, Mykola Tsvetkov, and Roman Zankov. All of them are suspected of involvement in torturing and cruel treatment of Ukrainian military prisoners. Documentary evidence confirms that these individuals organized and conducted brutal tortures within the captured detention facility. The investigation established that, having set up this torture chamber, the invaders began using torture techniques to force surrender or extract necessary information from prisoners of war. Detainees were beaten with rubber truncheons, subjected to electric shocks, threatened, and humiliated, with the goal of coercing cooperation or confessions. This became part of the systematic tactics of Russian occupation forces — not only to detain but also to psychologically pressure individuals in pursuit of their objectives. It is important to note that Ukrainian law enforcement has formally informed the deceased suspects of suspicion of war crimes in absentia. Given that they are on temporarily occupied territories, targeted multi-stage measures are ongoing to locate and apprehend them. The SBU emphasizes that the search and punishment of those responsible for such crimes remain a priority of the state policy, which will not stop until all guilty parties are brought to justice. Active investigative and search measures are currently underway to establish the whereabouts or apprehend the perpetrators attempting to evade justice. This issue remains at the forefront of Ukrainian security agencies and international partners involved in combating war crimes and ensuring justice for all victims. Demonstrating an unwavering stance against crimes against humanity, Ukraine calls on the global community to support its efforts in holding all responsible parties accountable and preventing impunity for such horrific acts of violence.