She has lost weight down to 50 kg, is unable to eat or care for herself: 68-year-old Ukrainian woman Halyna Bekhter is in critical condition while in Russian custody
Halyna Bekhter, a 68-year-old woman from the Zaporizhzhia region who was sentenced by the Russians to 12.5 years in prison for allegedly transferring funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has nearly lost the ability to care for herself. She has lost a significant amount of weight, needs assistance even when eating, and her cellmate fears for her life.
This was reported by Censor.NET, citing the Russian publication "Mediazona."
In July 2026, Bekhter’s cellmate reported that the pensioner, who was 176 centimeters tall, weighed only 50 kilograms. She lay in bed almost constantly, did not change her clothes, was unable to wash herself, and suffered from fecal incontinence.
"Her bones are covered with skin; she has no muscles at all, and she wets herself. The girls bathe her and do her laundry. [...] They feed her with a spoon, but they mash everything up first because she doesn't have a single tooth in her mouth," the woman said.
Her cellmates also reported possible progression of dementia. Bekhter refused to eat and required constant assistance from others.
Despite her serious condition, the Ukrainian woman has been in transit for three weeks. Her final destination is unknown.
The latest letter regarding her condition arrived on October 12 from Larisa Belyaeva, whom the Russians convicted of purchasing Ukrainian military bonds. She had been helping Bekhter, but the women were separated during the transfer.
"I couldn't convince the investigators that she needs care. I can't imagine who will take care of her now," Belyaeva wrote.
Her cellmate appealed to the Russian Human Rights Commissioner but received no response. She also expressed concern that Bekhter might not survive the journey.
According to human rights activist Liudmyla Huseinova, after the full-scale invasion began, Bekhter remained in the occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast with her husband. The couple openly supported Ukraine and clashed with their pro-Russian neighbors.
In July 2025, the pensioner was detained following a tip from a neighbor. Russian investigators claimed that in 2023, she allegedly transferred funds to the Ukrainian army via a banking app.
In March 2026, a Russian court sentenced Bekhter to 11 years in prison. The prosecution sought to increase the sentence to 16 years, but the appeals court set the term at 12 years and six months.
Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets had previously appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Russian Human Rights Commissioner regarding Bekhter.
Her cellmates tried to arrange for the pensioner to undergo a medical examination. According to them, doctors likely examined the Ukrainian woman twice, but she was unable to explain the results of the examinations.
