Ukrainian civilian prisoners
Standing up for Ukrainian civilian prisoners
The abduction and detention of Ukrainian civilians has been and remains one of the most pressing issues in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian Unified Register of Persons Missing Under Special Circumstances currently lists approximately 42,000 missing Ukrainians, including military personnel, Ukrainian civilians and children (as of July 2024). The actual number could be significantly higher, as the register does not include persons who have not been officially reported missing. These include individuals who have no relatives or who live in occupied territories where there is no access to Ukrainian state registers.
The fate of thousands of civilians remains unclear. ISHR is in contact with families and is working for the release of those detained.
Join us in our efforts on behalf of Ukrainian civilian prisoners!
On the following subpages with profiles of individual civilian prisoners, you can learn about their stories and copy draft letters that we recommend sending to the government of the Russian Federation and to the Ukrainian authorities.
Annual Conference 2026 – Dmytro Lubinets
“Peace without human rights is no peace at all”
Abducted Professor Held in Russia
On 13 December 2022, the Russian military abducted Volodymyr from his home in the village of Tambovka.
Family Man Abused and Abducted
On 16 March 2022, the Russian military broke into Serhiy’s family home, searched the premises, and confiscated documents and weapons. Serhiy and his neighbour Volodymyr, were bound and detained.
Arrested under False Pretences
On 12 August 2024, it became known that criminal proceedings had been initiated against Olga on charges of alleged possession of weapons.
Village Hero Abducted without Cause
Without providing any explanation, armed Russian soldiers detained Oleksandr, placed him in an armoured personnel carrier, and abducted him to an unknown location.
18 Years’ Imprisonment for Alleged “Terrorism”
he was sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment on charges of “terrorism” (Article 205 of the Russian Criminal Code).
No Information Following Explosion in Torture Chamber
Valery was abducted by the Russian military on 22 August 2022 in the city of Kakhovka in the Kherson Region.
No Information on His Fate Since Abduction
Serhii was detained by the Russian military on 27 February 2022 at a checkpoint in the village of Velyka Bilozerka.
Abducted and His Existence Denied
Yehor was abducted by the Russian military on 2 July 2022. He was held in a local torture chamber in Kherson until 2 September 2022, after which he was taken to Crimea “for trial”.
Lawyer Threatened and Abducted
After forcing entry into Artur’s flat, the officers detained Artur without explanation and abducted him to an unknown location.
Bound and Abducted
On March 20, 2022, Russian soldiers arrested Yaroslav and two of his colleagues on the grounds of the EcoSpace Hotel.
Ukrainian in Russian Captivity
On March 20, 2022, Russian soldiers broke into Yaroslav’s house. They abducted Yaroslav and two of his relatives and took them to an unknown location.
Detained in a penal colony without charge
On March 19, 2022, armed Russian soldiers broke into Viktor’s house. After checking his identification and threatening him with weapons, they took Viktor away.
Ukrainian civilian abducted from his home
On July 18, 2023, Russian military personnel abducted Serhii and illegally searched his apartment.
Arbitrary Arrest
On March 9, 2022, Ruslan was arrested and abducted without cause by Russian soldiers while on his way home.
Arrested for alleged espionage
On March 2, 2022, Oleksandr was at home with his friends, when Russian soldiers broke into the house, beat Oleksandr and his friends, and then forced Oleksandr into their car and took him to an unknown location.
Retired Police Officer in Russian Captivity
On the morning of April 23, 2022, men in military uniforms broke into his house, searched it, took all his cell phones and a laptop, put a sack over his head, and took him from the house.
Convicted for allegedly finding an explosive device
On June 2, 2023, Mykhailo was arrested by FSB officers at the Izvaryne checkpoint while crossing the border between the Russian Federation and the Luhansk region.