Ukraine war: Inside a prisoner of war camp for Russians

Russian missiles were erstwhile again taunting Ukraine from the entity arsenic we entered this captive of warfare installation successful the westbound of the country.

Hundreds of captured Russian soldiers, conscripts, and mercenaries are held successful these gritty buildings - 1 of 50 sites astir Ukraine wherever they are detained.

The crump of Ukrainian aerial defences could beryllium heard successful the region arsenic we were led into a basement, to beryllium met with the show of dozens of prisoners taking structure from the Russian attack.

Prisoner exchanges person go a regular diagnostic of this warfare and for Kyiv it is important that they continue. Ukraine said this period it had secured the merchandise of 1,762 men and women truthful acold successful captive swaps. These are highly delicate operations, often taking months to arrange.

Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of warfare indispensable not beryllium paraded oregon exposed to the public.

We were allowed to attack who we wanted and asked for their consent. But the guards were with america wherever we went and these men were improbable to person been speaking freely.

Many hid their faces to further support their identities.

Here the guards appeared keen to amusement they were treating the prisoners well.

One combatant said helium had been moving for a mercenary group. He had been brought to this installation 3 days earlier, aft helium was taken captive adjacent the eastbound municipality of Soledar, captured past period by Russian forces.

A fistful stared connected defiantly. We met the regard of 1 captive who said helium was captured successful the Luhansk portion connected 29 December.

"I anticipation I volition beryllium exchanged and that I won't person to spell backmost into the army," helium said.

"What if you person nary choice?" I asked.

He paused for a second: "I person immoderate ideas. I could travel backmost by surrendering voluntarily."

Leaving the structure it became wide that fractional the prisoners had been wounded.

Some had bandaged hands oregon feet. Others would determination with a dense limp.

One young antheral became affectional arsenic helium described however helium had mislaid his limb successful a grenade explosion.

As we approached the pulsing dependable of a compression drill, a tiny accumulation enactment came into presumption wherever prisoners of warfare were putting unneurotic outdoor furnishings sets.

They worked, again with their heads down.

A section institution had a declaration with the facility, we were told, and that meant the inmates could marque immoderate wealth too, mostly to walk connected cigarettes and sweets.

Most prisoners of warfare are compelled to person jobs similar this. Apparently lone Russian officers had a choice.

At lunchtime the prisoners were marched to a impermanent canteen connected the apical floor. Through the model a Ukrainian emblem flapped successful the acold wind.

They ate rapidly and successful silence, but for the dependable of eating. Then, array by table, successful a infinitesimal of cleanable choreography, they stood unneurotic and shouted successful Ukrainian: "Thank you for lunch!"

Inmates present are made to ticker TV successful Ukrainian, including documentaries connected Ukrainian past and the confederate metropolis of Mariupol, which was each but flattened by a Russian siege and bombardment that lasted for months.

Some of the Ukrainian soldiers who had defended Mariupol were portion of the past exchange.

We asked 1 inmate whether helium understood what helium was watching.

"More oregon less," helium said. "I find it educational." He was improbable to person said thing unflattering.

It is rather imaginable that immoderate of the Russians successful the country could not recognize the programme they were having to watch, and they whitethorn not person wanted to.

The prisoners are allowed 1 telephone telephone each 2 weeks, according to the guards. For their families backmost successful Russia these calls are often the archetypal accidental they person to find retired their sons person been captured.

"Where are you? I've asked fractional the metropolis astir you!" 1 young man's parent could beryllium heard implicit the phone.

"Mum, wait. I'm successful captivity, I can't accidental more."

"With the bloody Ukrainians?" she said, earlier breaking down successful tears.

"That's it, Mum. Quiet," helium told her, arsenic the defender stood implicit him. "The astir important happening is that I'm live and healthy."

Some of the prisoners' calls went unanswered, leaving them hoping for different accidental connected the telephone - and a aboriginal captive swap.

Additional reporting by Hanna Chornous and Morgan Gisholt Minard.