Russian war Roberts in Ukraine: We're deceived.

This is a prison in Ukraine where those who have not yet been convicted, the exact Deutsche Welle does not say because of security. The second floor of the building is divided for Russian prisoners of war. They are kept separate from the other prisoners, for “protect”, reportedly.

After a request of journalists made by the State Prison Service in Ukraine, Deutsche Welles was given the opportunity to speak with Russian prisoners, thus being the first media to do so. Prison shoots were also exclusive. Permission was granted on the condition that Deutsche Welle does not say even the exact whereabouts of prisoners or reveal their faces. Journalists were also allowed to talk only to prisoners who are not accused of war crimes and against whom no criminal prosecution has yet been opened. To talk to such ones would require another permission of investigators or prosecutors.

When I got here, my eyes were opened”

There are seven men of different ages in one cell. The visit of journalists does not surprise them. They say that representatives of the United Nations or Red Cross come every week.

Deutsche Welle journalists are accompanied by prison employees during the interview. They offered Deutsche Welle the opportunity to decide for himself who he wants to talk to. Deutsche Welle conducted interviews with four prisoners after they had consented to speak: they are all professional soldiers and said they have nothing to hide.

“Switcher: We've been deceived,” Roman tells us, by the Russian Vyborgu. “At first we were told we were dealing with humanitarian issues. But I was immediately sent to the front.” During the fighting in the Karchiv Romani region, he was wounded. The Ukrainian army took him away and allowed the doctor to treat him, he relates.

Artyom, another prisoner, points out that he decided on his own to participate in “special operations” against Ukraine. (This is officially called Russia's fight against Ukraine. Editor's note. After reading news online, he went to Doneck, controlled by prorus separatists, where in a few days he learned to run a T-72 tank. Then he was sent toward the Special. But his tank was destroyed and he was captured by Ukrainian regiment Asow. He assures himself that he was given food and cigarettes and adds: “I didn't see any fascist”. Asked why he went to Ukraine, Artyom answers: “On television is said to be fighting for a fair cause, but in fact that's not true. This is where my eyes started to open. ” He calls the Russian army “placitative and killer”.

How do prisoners spend their day?

The prisoner's cell is equipped with furniture, it's small but clean. There are plastics on the joint table, each with its own dishes. The spoons and forks are made of metal. According to ordinary prisoners, fork spoons are also plastic because of safety. But with prisoners of war, it's easier, they're not aggressive, and they only expect the exchange of prisoners.

Lunch food is distributed to the Russians by a Ukrainian prisoner, who is being watched by a guard. A plate of borsch soup and a wheat porridge is introduced into the openings of each cell. In the morning, there was corn porridge with meat, reports the prisoners. According to the food plan that hangs in the harvest, food is given three times a day. In addition, prisoners are allowed to walk and bathe daily.

Get out! You don't have what you're doing here!

In another cell there are three young men in their 20 ' s. There's a bunch of books on the bed table. Prisoners say they read artistic and police novels.

One of them is Dmitry. He says he did not know that on February 24th he will go to Russian Belgorod in Ukraine. We weren't told where we were going. Only when we happened in Ukrainian territory and saw signs and flags did it become clear to us. I asked the commander what we're doing here and I got the answer, not to ask unnecessary questions,” recalls Dmitry. When his tank was hit near Pryluky in the Tschernihiw region, he surrendered to Ukrainians.

An officer, a prison psychologist, and another prisoner were present during the interview with him and two other prisoners of war. Deutsche Welle journalists had the impression that the presence of prison employees had no influence on the prison account or his desire to speak. The guards didn't follow the conversation. They were at a distance and did not pressure on their chat partners with Deutsche Welle.

With the prisoner Oleg from Carelien, Deutsche Welle spoke only in a separate room. He indicated that he had extended the contract with the Russian armed forces in March. I believed television news that we come to Ukraine to help, because there are nationalists here, killing people and torturing them,” tells the young man. But when he came to the Karkiv region, he saw no nationalist. When we arrived in the village, people told us directly: “Get out! There's nothing to ask here!

When he signed the contract, Oleg relates, he was promised to be given schooling and not be sent to the front line. But after three days he moved to the outskirts of the city of millions of them, Karkiv. His unit tried to get back to Russia, but Command stopped them. Later, contact with Command broke down and his unit was taken hostage by the Ukrainian army.

Can prisoners of war be trusted?

All the prisoners with whom Deutsche Welle spoke assure us that they regret attending the invasion of Ukraine and that they have not shot at peaceful people in villages and towns. Ukrainian investigators have no evidence of possible war crimes committed by them. Prisoners will also be searched with the degenerative device for lies.

Prison employees claim that Russian soldier Wadim S., who was also in this prison, has admitted during the search of the lie machine that he has shot a civilian in the Sumy region and killed him. On May 23rd, he was sentenced by a Ukrainian court to life in prison. This has been the first judgment rendered in a process against a Russian war captive in Ukraine.

How much does holding a prisoner cost?

In conversation with Deutsche Welle, none of the prisoners complain about poor conditions or inhuman treatment: “Every day they ask us if we need anything. When possible, they bring us what we need. Food is fine,” says Romani.

According to reports by the Ukrainian Justice Ministry for a war prisoner, about 3,000 Gravna (about 95 euros) is needed each month for food, clothing, hygienal products, and electricity. These are added to the costs for medical equipment and medications, as well as the costs of personnel.

Deputy Justice Minister Olena Wysozka told Deutsche Welle that such expenditures are justified because prison conditions for prisoners should be appropriated to the Geneva Convention. In addition to the Russian stock exchange, they have to be alive and healthy to trade with Ukrainians captured by the Russians.

Treating Prisoners in Ukraine and Russia

In an interview with Deutsche Welle, the head of the UN Human Rights Mission in Ukraine, Mathilda Bogner, said that prison conditions for Russian prisoners of war are generally satisfactory. According to Bogner, UN monitors have also had information that Russian soldiers have been mistreated after capture and tortured.

There is evidence that Ukrainian prisoners in Russia and territories controlled by Russians in Ukraine have been tortured directly after capture, Bogner says: “There has been food shortages and hygiene, treatment of prisoners by guards has been harsh.” The UN calls on both sides to deal with prisoners of war humanism and to effectively investigate all alleged cases of torture and mistreatment of prisoners.

Official data on the number of Russian soldiers who are imprisoned in Ukraine does not. Their number is constantly changed because of occasional exchanges. “Hope dies last,” says 20-year-old Dmitry, who also hopes to be exchanged. After three months in prison he wants nothing but to come home. And he says he will never serve in the military again. (DW)