"Water down the throat, electricity through the body, threats of circumcision": Who tortured the people of Kherson during the occupation - new evidence

What is known about the torture chambers that the Russian army built on the right bank of the Kherson region during the occupation? What do the residents of Kherson and their relatives who died during the actions of the occupation forces say? Is it known who tortured the residents of the Kherson region and whether everyone involved will be held accountable for it, the Radio Liberty project "News of the Azov Region" finds out.

"Half of the inhabitants of the Kherson region were tortured"

The Russian army tortured almost half of the residents of the Kherson region, who were held in detention centers during the occupation of the city, including hostages who were subjected to sexual violence, according to a report that analyzed 320 cases of detention in Kherson, in more than 35 detention centers.
The analysis was compiled by the Mobile Justice Team, which is part of the UK, EU and US-supported Crime Advisory Group (ACA). The group was established by the international law firm and the Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Global Rights Compliance for the support of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
Global Rights Compliance regional manager Anna Mikitenko noted in a CNN commentary published on August 2 that "in addition to punishing Kherson citizens or their relatives for military service, the Russian military was actually punishing Ukrainians for citizenship."
The report said at least 36 victims mentioned the use of electric current during interrogation by Russian guards. Other victims mentioned threats of genital mutilation, and at least one victim was forced to witness the rape of another detainee.
As for the men, "most of the crimes are sexual torture, as a form of punishment for the fact that they are Ukrainians and will not allow them to have children," Mikitenko added.
The report added that "the Russian military routinely used strangulation, waterboarding, severe beatings and threats of rape."
Attorney Wayne Jordash, co-founder of Global Rights Compliance, added in the report that "the torture and sexual violence tactics prosecutors found in the Kherson detention centers indicate that Putin's plan to destroy Ukrainian identity includes a series of crimes reminiscent of genocide."
At the same time, as Anna Mikitenko explained, despite the signs of genocide, it may not be easy to prove this crime against humanity, because in such a case it is necessary to prove intent.

"It is not known where the tortured bodies are"

The Zmina Center for Human Rights reported on August 31 that during the occupation of the village of Biljaivka in Berislav District, Kherson Region, the Russian army illegally detained and tortured at least 20 local residents for five months. The execution house was located at the local school. Four people died: two in the torture chamber, two more after their release.
The coordinator of the Center, Elizaveta Sokurenko, noted that human rights defenders interviewed 12 victims, five of their relatives and witnesses. They said that the Russian army, as well as the militants of the illegal "LDNR" formations, brought people from the surrounding villages to this torture camp. Most detentions were accompanied by physical violence and threats. The main reason why they were taken into custody was failures in the adjustment of fire and cooperation with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The human rights activist also added that the bodies of the two men killed in the torture chamber were taken by the Russian army in an unknown direction, both of them are missing. Their relatives are looking for the bodies or any information about their possible whereabouts.

"They detained targeted persons"

Olga Kotljarska, legal advisor of the Global Rights Compliance company, told "Novina Priazovia" that, according to the lawyer, people were not detained in Kherson by accident. Such actions of the Russian army in these areas are part of a broad system of detention, which is organized, planned and thought out, according to the expert.
"A huge part was either active soldiers, or fighters, or families, leaders of local communities who could ensure the organization of community life, support for life activities, they were journalists, they were activists. When I talk about activists, I mean only people who went to rallies and expressed their pro-Ukrainian position or otherwise published posts on social networks. These could be people who had Ukrainian symbols, they were volunteers, in certain cases teachers and doctors. That is, certain categories of persons who are detained not only because of something, but because of a certain function and certain possible fears, that is, based on the influence they have on the local community," Kotljarska explained.
In all the torture centers on the right bank of the Kherson region, torture was almost regular, says the lawyer. According to her, the most common practice was electric shock. 
"In cases where sexualized torture is involved - the application of electricity to the genitals. In addition, there were other practices of water torture, sleep deprivation and strangulation. And in general, it can be said that the victims and witnesses spoke about the inappropriate conditions of detention in these places," recounts Kotljarska.
Some detainees were released by the Russian army, some were taken by the Russian army when it left the right bank of the Kherson region, the expert noted. It is not known according to which principle the occupiers acted.
According to her data, there were persons who were transferred to different places where there were detentions - between the right and left banks of the region.
"And this is another such indicator that these places of detention were interconnected in a certain way, there was a certain structure. There was also a third category of persons who were forcibly relocated or even deported to the territory of Russia," said the lawyer.
Kotljarska added that it is very important to document such crimes, as it can help identify middle- and high-level commanders involved in imprisoning and torturing residents of the Kherson region.
Given the hostilities and the Russian occupation of parts of the southern territories of Ukraine, the editorial office cannot obtain official confirmation of some of the statements made or independently verify them.

Šumkova on the hunt for a former political prisoner

Lyudmila Shumkova is a resident of Kherson and the aunt of the former political prisoner of the Kremlin, Ukrainian military officer Alexander Shumkov. The woman told us that when the occupation of the city began, she realized that the Russian army would most likely come to the address where Aleksandar Šumkov was registered. Yes, he says, and it happened.
"Even before the full invasion, we were already on the filtering lists of the FSB of the Russian Federation. And therefore it was clear that both Aleksandar and our family would come to the registration address. Therefore, on February 24, we moved from our permanent place of residence to the house of Aleksandr's friends. They came to us exactly at the place of registration on April 12, 2022 and searched there. We found that out later. Neighbors called us. They continued the search for Aleksandar, the search for his family. Because before that, back in March, I came to work to change the passwords on the computer and pick up my things. I stayed there for 10 minutes and on the way out I saw a car with a "Z" drawn on it enter the gate. I had the impression that someone from my work informed them", says Šumkova.

"They Excavated the City"

The Russian army found the Shumkov family and detained Lyudmila and her sister on July 26 last year. According to her, the army broke into the house, some ransacked it, and some - "died up the garden".
"For what purpose, I don't know, since this is a private house, there was a small garden. Maybe they were looking for weapons there. There was also a small shed. Given that this house belonged to the family of a guy who was connected to the "National Corps "Azov", of course, posters and newspapers were kept there. In general, it is something like "Azov" propaganda. They (army - ed. author) they found it all, shook it before our eyes, talked about how everyone here was "fascists", "Nazis". Then they took my sister and me, put knitted hats on our heads, put us in an SUV and drove away", he recalls Shumkova.
Initially, the women were held in the building of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine in the Kherson region, located on Luteranskaya Street. They spent 10 days there, and according to one resident of Kherson, there were no windows, no water, and instead of a toilet there was a bucket.
"Food was brought once a day. They were taken out once a day - across from our cell to a makeshift toilet, which also had no sewage system, there was also a hand washing machine into which water was poured, and from this hand washing machine they had already washed themselves. They also took the boys there. Mostly men were kept there," said Šumkova.

"Torture 24/7"

In the building of the National Police, the Russian army kept members of the Territorial Defense of Kherson and participants in hostilities. The men were tortured a lot, says Šumkova.
"We kept hearing screams, all the time, they were inhuman screams. And the torture happened 24/7. One day, shortly before we were transferred to the ITT, a person was most likely tortured to the point of simply dying. Because we heard the boys pounding loudly in one of the cells. Then one of the FSB officers and guards went down to this basement and asked: "Who is that knocking loudly over there?". They were unhappy. The guys reported a person here not breathing. Then we saw a black bag being dragged across the floor," the Ukrainian recounted the events of that time.
According to her, policewomen were also tortured. Specifically, this happened at the Interim Detention Center (ITT) in Kherson, where Shumkov's relatives were later detained.
"My roommates, there were two policewomen, they were tortured. One girl was doused with water and stunned with a stun gun, tortured with electric current. And they beat the other with a rubber bat, poured water on it and turned on the electric current. There they used all the methods they could", says Šumkova.
The Russian military was constantly trying to find out any information about the whereabouts of Lyudmila's nephew Alexander Shumkov. The woman was released on September 17, and her sister seven days later. They changed several addresses in Kherson and waited for the de-occupation of the city.

"They did not eat for three days"

Another story about illegal detention was told by a resident of Kherson, Olga Kaiova. The Russian army detained her husband, a local businessman and volunteer, on August 5 last year. Together with other volunteers, he took the residents of the Kherson region who needed medical help to Zaporozhye.
Now the man has been charged with "international terrorism" and the attempted murder of Kirill Stremousov, a local occupation official. His death in a traffic accident was reported last year.
"They took people to Zaporozhye for operations or some other examinations. They brought things out, helped people. And they would bring back humanitarian aid, specifically for the Red Cross Society in Kherson. These were food packages, medicine for the hospital, insulin. All this is documented, they drove without turning on our side and tried to get out without turning on the other side," says Olga.
She learned about her husband's fate only in January of this year, when the citizen of Kherson who was in the cell with him returned from Russian captivity.
"When they were kept in a cellar in Kherson, they were mocked and tortured for at least five days. There was, he says, such a net to which they were handcuffed and tortured with electric current. It could also happen that they forgot to give them food, they were fed either once a day, or once every two days, and sometimes three. The conditions were inhumane. They made them sing the anthem of Russia, it was entertainment for the Russians. He says: anyone passing by could beat the person chained to the bars. There was also a minor boy in the cell with them, they tried to somehow support or feed him," Olga recounts the testimony.
From the Kherson region, her husband was first transported to Simferopol, and then to the pre-trial detention center "Lefortovo" in Moscow. The woman says that she does not have any documents about her husband's so-called case, the lawyer does not provide those documents, citing danger. Meetings are held in closed session.
"We send letters, they reach my husband, he answers them. We send by regular Russian mail and the packages arrive. It says that of all the detentions he was in, he now has the best conditions. There is a sink with hot water, there are two of them in the cell, there is a blacksmith's shop, and they do not lose heart," said Olga.

About investigations and courts

Jury Bilous, a lawyer who works with victims of Russian military crimes in the Kherson region, told "Novosti iz Priazovi" that in some cases, court hearings are already underway against people who organized torture camps or imprisoned local residents.
"They were detained illegally, placed in basements, they were not fed, they were practically not given water, of course, they were tortured, they took their money when they came to arrest them, they confiscated their valuable property, without any court decision, without any official procedures . All this is found in the materials of specific court cases, which the investigation has already checked, and the prosecution has already sent the indictment to the court. In other words, such lawsuits against those who organized the torture camps, for example, in Kherson and the people who carried out the orders of the organizers, are already in the Ukrainian courts," says Bilous.
The lawyer said that he is currently participating in hearings in the case against 37 injured parties and nine defendants. There are other cases in which there are almost 200 victims of the activities of the Russian occupiers and those who collaborated with them, says Bilous.
"Our investigation, our prosecutor's office, that is, our state in general, is making efforts to provide a legal response," noted the lawyer.
He pointed out that such trials are very important for the people who died in the occupation.
"We went to trials in absentia of those who tortured our people in Kherson and other cities in the south. The result will be a well-conducted trial, in accordance with the standards of justice, and a high-quality verdict that can be shown to the victims, for which they can be reasonably held accountable, including communicating with Western partners and then presenting it to the Russians. Our task here is to conduct a quality trial in order not to imitate justice, but to show that we are not Russia. And, of course, it's also important for the victims," Bilous added.
In March of this year, the Mobile Team for Justice reported that during the occupation of Kherson there were about 20 torture chambers in the city. They were financed by Russia, and their work was personally supervised by the occupation official Volodymyr Saldo. He reacted to these statements and noted that there are apparently no torture chambers in Kherson and called the information about them "false".
The Kherson Regional Prosecutor's Office announced on July 3 that it had sent an indictment to the court against the deputy chief of the Rostov Regional Guard, a police colonel and three other Russian soldiers for brutal treatment of the civilian population and other violations of the laws and customs of war.
Also, on August 22, the agency informed that it suspects the so-called the "commander" of the Russian occupation forces and his subordinate "for torturing and killing civilians in Kherson". It is about the deputy commander of the 22nd Army Corps of the Coastal Forces of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and a member of the Armed Forces of Russia subordinate to him.