The 48 militia who ‘enabled’ torture in eastern Ukraine (Picture: Centre for Information Resilience)
Dozens of men from military units under Russia’s command were unmasked as ‘enablers’ of unspeakable war crimes in eastern Ukraine.
These are the faces of the pro-Kremlin puppets who allowed the abuse of civilians and prisoners of war during the occupation of Izium, 30 miles from the border.
Exactly one year has passed since the discovery of mass graves in the town, which laid bare the levels of cruelty that Vladimir Putin’s troops are capable of.
Some 436 bodies – mostly of women and children – were exhumed from a forest just outside Izium, days after it was recaptured by the Ukrainian military.
Screenshot from video of ‘LPR’ soldiers at School No. 6 (Picture: Centre for Information Resilience)
At least 30 had signs of torture, with some pulled out with ropes round their necks, tied hands, broken limbs, and burn wounds. Several men had their genitals cut off.
Now, an investigation by the Centre for Information Resilience identified Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics (LDPR) units LDPR who played a significant role in the occupation of the town, including in the violence and abuse against civilians.
Their report released today links the 48 men pictured to a school used as a site for torture and detention of innocent people.
Shared exclusively with Metro.co.uk, the image was taken by Russian propagandist and singer, Roman Razum, linked to the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) militia.
Markings on the box indicate that it is still the 5th Battalion, 204th Regiment, in the school (Picture: Centre for Information Resilience)
According to investigators, it shows soldiers from the fifth battalion of the 204th Infantry Regiment.
Most are from Luhansk and surrounding cities and towns in eastern Ukraine. Their ages appear to be from early 20s into their 30s.
Using open sources, CIR found they were stationed at School No. 6 from April to July 2022.
Survivors described being subjected to electric shocks, waterboardings, beatings, and threats at gunpoint.
All the men appear to be aged from early 20s into their 30s (Picture: Centre for Information Resilience)
Zhenia, who was detained twice in the building, detailed the horror he endured after being kidnapped from his home.
The 19-year-old said: ‘At the school, one of the soldiers in charge came over and wanted to hit me. I covered my face.
‘He said, “What are you, a boxer”. Then he called over three soldiers and they all started beating me.
‘They held me first in a storage closet and then in an office for three days, but would take me outside sometimes to ask me questions and they would beat me;
they even hit me on the head with their walkie talkies.’
Ukrainian authorities exhume bodies of people near Izium (Picture: Getty)
But Zhenia is one of the fortunate ones who survived the crimes in Izium during the occupation.
Another man, Ihor, who was arrested five times, said three Russian soldiers came to his apartment and accused him of having marijuana.
Speaking with Human Rights Watch, the 48-year-old said they searched his home, put a bag over his head, and beat him as they marched him down the stairs and to their car.
He said they drove him to School No. 6 and locked him in a hallway storage closet for about half an hour.
At one point, Ihor accused them pf being fascists and they began beating, kicking, and slapping him.
CIR further geolocated videos at School No. 6 showing soldiers unloading a van with packages for them sent by friends and family.
All the boxes have their names and units written on the front, findings which the investigators have since shared with the Ukrainian government.
Ross Burley, co-founder of CIR, said about the findings: ‘Investigators from our Eyes on Russia team have compiled strong evidence about which pro-Russian military units were based at or near torture sites in occupied Izium.
‘These soldiers may not have carried out torture themselves but they occupied the town, they guarded and protected these locations by their presence, and in doing so these soldiers enabled torture to take place.
‘Those who survived the Russian occupation describe the Luhansk and Donetsk militias, in particular, as some of the worst behaved of all the occupying forces as they were often drunk, violent and looted homes and shops.
‘There are reports of children being shot dead by drunk militia for breaking curfew and robbing homes while owners are held at gunpoint.’
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The cruelty of Putin’s troops has been laid bare.