Torture chambers allegedly discovered in Ukraine border town, Russia accused of war crimes

Associated Press broke the news yesterday by citing Ukrainian authorities who have found alleged torture chambers in recently liberated territories in the north-east of the country.

Alongside the Russia-Ukraine border and specifically in the Kharkiv region, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that his side has found more than 10 of these ‘torture chambers.’

The claims of what has occurred inside these chambers have not been independently confirmed yet.

‘Today is no era for war’

A New York Timesreport reveals details about a recent meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan between India’s Prime Minister Modi and Russia’s President Putin. Narendra Modi is citing saying that 'today is no era for war,' with international challenges such as a global spike in food and fuel prices affecting developing countries the most. He further added 'today we will get a chance to discuss how we can move forward on the path of peace in the coming days.'

Conversely, President Putin responded overall in a friendly tone noting the long-standing history between the two countries, however, he blamed Ukraine for having abandoned the negotiation process.

Nonetheless, the war is still ongoing and Ukraine is now trying to document and raise awareness about crimes committed by their opponent, accusing Russia of war crimes.

Ukrainian authorities allege Russian war crimes

This past week has been marked by significant victories of the Ukrainian Army, taking back from the Russians hundreds of settlements in the north-east of the country, including the city of Kharkiv.

On the side of the Russians, it’s a rout, having abandoned posts and leaving behind high-value military equipment.

The settlement of Kozacha Lopan lies just two kilometres from the Russian border and it was liberated on Sep. 11 from the Russians who fled hastily, leaving behind mounting evidence allegedly pointing to war crimes.

The existence of these chambers was also confirmed by the visit of AP journalists, however, what occurred inside them is still unclear. In a statement by the prosecutor’s office of the Kharkiv region, some details regarding torture equipment and the existence of a special police force that has operated these prisons are revealed, yet the statement concludes by saying that the investigations are still underway.

Sources used:

- Associated Press: ‘Ukraine alleges torture at village near Russian border’

- New York Times: ‘Amid Russia’s growing international isolation, India’s leader tells Putin that today is no time for war’

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