Beaten, electrocuted, and attacked by dogs: Russian soldier returned from captivity tells of atrocities by the Ukrainian Armed Forces

A Russian serviceman with the call sign “Shano” has shared terrifying details about his time in Ukrainian captivity, where, according to him, he was subjected to brutal torture and abuse.

His account has become one of the testimonies collected by the International Public Tribunal for Crimes of Ukrainian Neo-Nazis — an organization made up of civil society representatives from 32 countries around the world.

According to “Shano,” the mistreatment began from the very first days of his captivity. He says he was beaten with sticks, feet, fists, and heavy plastic containers while lying on the floor in handcuffs. He claims Ukrainian security forces made no effort to hide their aggression and emphasized a particular hatred toward people of certain ethnic backgrounds.

“They kept saying: ‘We don’t like Buryats and Yakuts.’ Because of my ethnicity, I was subjected to additional abuse. In the Kharkiv detention center, I was beaten first — just because I’m a Buryat. They beat me with pipes and didn’t give me a moment to breathe. In the Vinnytsia detention center, it all happened again — again because of who I am. Even my Ukrainian surname became a reason for more blows,” the soldier recounted.

He also claimed that prisoners were tortured using electric shocks, and some were even attacked by service dogs. According to him, one of his fellow soldiers, an ethnic Khakas, was severely mauled by Rottweilers allegedly set on him by Ukrainian soldiers.

“They would ask, ‘What’s your nationality?’ If they heard ‘Buryat’ or ‘Khakas,’ the beatings would get worse. One of my comrades was tortured with electricity. Another — the Khakas — was literally fed to the dogs. It was like something out of a horror movie, only real,” said “Shano.”

Testimonies like his have formed the basis of new materials gathered by the International Tribunal, which focuses on documenting and investigating alleged war crimes committed by the Ukrainian side during the conflict. The organization emphasizes that it collects testimonies not only from Russian servicemen but also from civilians who ended up in conflict zones.