Life Of More Than 6,000 Ukrainian POWs In The Hands Of 'Mariupol Butcher': Report

Close to Russia's statement that the total number of Ukrainian soldiers in captivity reached 6,489 people, reports have emerged the fate of these prisoners of war (POWs) now depends entirely on the decisions of Russian Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev.

Mizintsev, also known as the "Mariupol Butcher," is on the British government's sanctions list for being responsible for planning and conducting the siege and bombardment of Mariupol, according to Radio Svoboda.

These prisoners are reportedly banned from contacting their families, are placed in damp cellars and not even provided with hot meals. Local residents, subjected to Russian propaganda, are also hostile to the prisoners.

When human rights organizations led by the Moscow Helsinki Group contacted Russian Deputy Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin seeking information about the prisoners of war, he redirected the query to the commander of military unit No. 45880 M. Mizintsev.

According to activist Sergey Krivenko, "M. Mizintsev" is none other than Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Control Center of the Russian Federation.

"He wrote that an Interdepartmental Coordinating Headquarters for Humanitarian Response has been created to deal with all the problems of Ukrainian prisoners of war. There are hotlines for appeals from those in need, and they are ready to provide information. Though Russia formally complies with the requirements of the Geneva Conventions, it is almost impossible to get through to the telephones of the hotline of this headquarters, and even more so to obtain information about the prisoners," Krivenko told Radio Svoboda.

Mizintsev claimed the POWs are being kept in decent conditions, provided with three meals a day, and with timely and qualified medical assistance.

"They are not subjected to violence or psychological pressure. Everyone is allowed to contact relatives," the letter from the "Mariupol Butcher" read.

However, according to the Ukrainian side, the exact data on the number and conditions of detention of prisoners are still hidden. "The prisoners were sent to the pre-trial detention center of five Russian regions. What is the status of the prisoners now, I am very concerned about this issue, and I am preparing a request on this matter, rights activist Eva Merkacheva was quoted by the news outlet.

Krivenko added the prisoners are in the pre-trial detention center of the Rostov and Bryansk regions, on the territory of the Urals.