Russia uses torture and illegal imprisonment of civilians as weapon of war - Prosecutor General KostinNews Censor.NET War in Ukraine

At the International Platform for the Release of Civilians Illegally Detained by the Russian Federation, Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin said that 204 people have been served with suspicion notices in Ukrainian criminal proceedings regarding the illegal deprivation of liberty of civilians, 158 people are being tried in courts, and 33 people have been convicted.

Prosecutor General Andrii Kostin took part in the launch of the International Platform for the Release of Civilians Illegally Detained by the Russian Federation. This is an important step in the implementation of the Fourth Point of the President's Peace Formula. It aims to unite efforts to rescue thousands of Ukrainian civilians who have been abducted by Russia and are currently in captivity.

As noted, the first meeting of the International Platform, organized by the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine, was attended by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andrii Yermak, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Nikolai Denkov, as well as more than 50 participants from different countries and international organizations.

"As of today, 204 people have been notified of suspicion in Ukrainian criminal proceedings on illegal deprivation of liberty of civilians, 158 people are being tried in courts, and 33 people have been convicted," said Andrii Kostin.

The Prosecutor General noted that despite the ongoing work within the framework of national investigations and cooperation with a wide range of international partners and the public sector, there is still no effective international mechanism to ensure the return of civilian detainees to their homeland. This requires coordinated international efforts at the governmental level.

"The international community clearly sees and understands that Russia is using torture and illegal deprivation of liberty as a weapon of war. I firmly believe that the Platform established today will become a platform for developing effective solutions. We will not stop until all Ukrainians abducted by the aggressor return home," he added.

ARTICLE

Total of 104 torture chambers discovered in de-occupied territories - Kostin
News Censor.NET War in Ukraine
https://censor.net/en/n3460224

Law enforcement officers discovered 104 torture chambers in the de-occupied territories of 8 regions of Ukraine.

This was stated by Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin during the international conference on human rights “Freedom or Fear”, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

“Torture chambers and places of illegal detention were found in all the territories liberated from the enemy. These are 104 torture chambers in 8 regions of Ukraine. The largest number of torture chambers was found in the Kharkiv region - 25, Zaporizhzhia - 18, Kherson - 11, Donetsk - 10. And also 19 on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Kostin said.
(EXCERPT)

ARTICLE - Ukraine MILSTEP

Enemy attempted to break through Ukrainian troops’ defense 25 times near Novomykhailivka in Marinka sector, 96 combat engagements took place at frontline over last day
General Staff
News Censor.NET War in Ukraine
27.02.24 07:07
https://censor.net/en/n3475622

Over the last day, 96 combat engagements took place. In total, the enemy launched 6 missile and 92 air strikes, fired 110 times from multiple launch rocket systems at the positions of our troops and populated areas.

SHELLING OF UKRAINE

As noted, at night, Russian occupants once again attacked Ukraine using a Shahed-136/131 UAV. Information about this attack is being clarified.

Over the past day, the following settlements were hit by air strikes: Yamne, Nova Sich in Sumy region; Velykyi Burluk, Fedorivka, Synkivka in Kharkiv region; Terny, Pereizne, Chasiv Yar, Predtechyne, Toretsk, New York, Ocheretyne, Novoselivka Persha, Semenivka, Umanske, Netaylove Pervomaiske, Novomykhailivka, Kostiantynivka, Urozhayne, Staromaiorske; Levadne, Orikhiv, Novoselivka, Liubymivka in Zaporizhzhia region.

According to the General Staff, more than 120 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions were under artillery fire.

SITUATION IN THE NORTH

In the area of responsibility of OSGT “North” in the Volyn and Polesia directions, the operational situation remains without significant changes.

The General Staff informs that in the Siverskyi and Slobozhanskyi directions, the enemy maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts active sabotage activities in order to prevent the transfer of our troops to threatening directions, increases the density of mine-explosive barriers along the state border in Belgorod region.

SITUATION IN THE EAST

In the area of responsibility of OSGT “Khortytsia” in the Kupyansk sector, defense forces repelled 2 enemy attacks near Ivanivka and Tabaivka, and another 20 enemy attacks near Synkivka in Kharkiv region.

“In the Lyman sector, our troops repelled 6 enemy attacks near Terny, Donetsk region.

In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian defense forces repelled 9 enemy attacks near Ivanivske and Klishchiivka in Donetsk region,” the statement said.

In the area of responsibility of OSGT “Tavria” in the Avdiivka sector, our defenders repelled 19 enemy attacks in the areas of Berdychi, Orlivka, Severne, Pervomaiske and Nevelske in Donetsk region.

In the Marinka sector, defense forces continue to hold back the enemy near Novomykhailivka, Donetsk region, where the enemy tried to break through the defense of our troops 25 times. In addition, our defenders repelled 8 enemy attacks near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Pobeda in Donetsk region.

The General Staff adds that the enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) actions in the Novopavlivka sector.

SITUATION IN THE SOUTH

In the Zaporizhzhia sector, the defense forces repelled 6 enemy attacks near Robotino, Zaporizhzhia region.

In the area of responsibility of OSGT “Odesa” in the Kherson sector, the Defense Forces continue to hold their positions and repel the attacks of the occupation forces. Despite significant losses, the enemy continues to try to drive our units from their positions. Thus, over the past day, the enemy made 2 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of our troops on the left bank of the Dnieper River.
Strikes on the enemy

At the same time, our soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupation forces, depleting the enemy along the entire front line.

Over the past day, the aviation of the defense forces struck at 9 areas of concentration of enemy personnel.

The missile troops struck 2 areas of concentration of personnel, weapons and military equipment, 1 control center, and 1 ground control station of the enemy’s UAVs. Source:

ARTICLE

We must do everything to ensure that the clause of the Peace Formula on the return of all prisoners and deportees is implemented – address by Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the participants of the International Platform for the Release of Civilians Illegally Detained
26 February 2024 - 17:58
https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/mayemo-zrobiti-vse-shob-punkt-formuli-miru-shodo-povernennya-89337

“Ladies and gentlemen!

I would like to thank all those who participate in the meeting and support Ukrainian efforts to free our people from Russian captivity.

Today, no one can say for sure how many of our citizens – children and adults, warriors and civilians – are being held in Russian captivity, in Russian deportation, in camps, and how many of our people are in the prisons of this terrorist state. But each of us can and must speak with absolute certainty and specificity: we must do our best to bring all these people home to Ukraine. I am happy every time we succeed, when Ukrainians return, when they are greeted here with the flag of our country, on our land. When they are met by their families and friends. This is very important.

The return from Putin’s Russia to Ukraine is really a return from the embrace of death.”

(EXCERPT)

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