Prisoners were tortured, raped and left to freeze to death: two Russian sadists from Colony No. 7 in Vladimir region of Russian Federation have been identified. VIDEO
The Office of the Prosecutor General has announced that charges have been brought against two Russian executioners who turned the detention of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages at Penal Colony No. 7 (in the village of Pakino, Vladimir region, Russian Federation) into a systematic hell.
According to Censor.NET, the suspects are Vyacheslav Cherdantsev, an employee of the facility’s medical unit nicknamed ‘Konoval’, and Yaroslav Kirilov, a prisoner at the colony recruited by the administration and nicknamed ‘Yarik’.
A joint investigation by prosecutors from the Office of the Prosecutor General and journalists from the "Schemes" project (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) has established that torture, sexualised violence, psychological pressure and medical sadism at this facility were not isolated incidents, but a well-organised system.
Torture under the guise of "medical care"
The medic Cherdantsev ("Konoval") used his professional expertise and position of authority to torment and exert pressure on people. The main aim of the torture was to break the will of Ukrainians, forcing them to accept Russian citizenship or sign false statements for the propaganda media.
According to the investigation, the suspects committed the following war crimes:
-
Medical sadism: Sick prisoners were systematically denied medication, creating conditions for a rapid deterioration in their health and the exacerbation of chronic illnesses.
-
Deliberate infection: People were stripped naked and kept in the cold for hours. Those suffering from infectious diseases were held alongside healthy prisoners in order to trigger outbreaks of infection in the cells.
-
Sexualised violence: Prisoners were subjected to physical and psychological violence of a sexual nature.
-
Beatings for any complaint: Requests for basic medical care or refusal to comply with the administration’s absurd demands were punished with immediate, brutal beatings and further humiliation, either directly in the medical unit or in full view of other prisoners.
Prisoner Yaroslav Kirilov ("Yarik"), enlisted by the prison management to carry out "dirty work", tortured Ukrainians to boost his own status within the prison hierarchy and secure the administration’s loyalty.
"For the Russian Federation, violence is an integral part of state policy aimed at destroying Ukrainian identity. ‘Konoval’ and ‘Yarik’ are its executors, each at their own level, each within the limits set by the leadership," the Office of the Prosecutor General emphasises.
Legal classification
Based on the evidence gathered, both suspects have been charged with the cruel treatment of prisoners of war and the civilian population, as well as other violations of the laws and customs of war, committed by a group of persons acting in concert (Article 438(1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
