Oleksandr Krokhmalyuk Dies in Russian Custody
Oleksandr Krokhmalyuk, the head of the medical service for the Azov Brigade, was tortured to death while held as a prisoner of war by Russian forces. A forensic examination conducted in Lviv on September 22, 2025, determined that rib fractures and blunt force trauma to the chest caused his death. This marks another instance of Azov personnel dying from similar chest injuries while in captivity.
Krokhmalyuk joined Azov in 2016 and was leading the unit's medical service when he was evacuated from the Azovstal plant in May 2022. After being taken prisoner, he was held in Olenivka, then in detention facilities in Taganrog, and ultimately at the SIZO-2 pre-trial detention center in Kamyshin. In September 2025, during a one-for-one exchange of fallen soldiers, Krokhmalyuk's body was returned to Ukraine.
Documented Human Rights Abuses
The forensic expert recorded a closed blunt chest injury caused by contact with a blunt object. Since 2022, Ukraine has received the bodies of at least 25 defenders who died in Russian captivity. Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has documented over 150 executions of soldiers who surrendered or attempted to surrender.
Sviatoslav Palamar, a representative of Azov, commented on the situation, stating: 'This is another indictment of the international humanitarian law system, which has failed to protect the health and lives of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian captivity. Open and contemptuous violations of the Geneva Conventions, torture, and murder of Ukrainian POWs represent a deliberate, barbaric state policy by the Russians. It is systematic, documented, yet unpunished.'
This incident highlights severe human rights violations within the context of Russian captivity and raises serious concerns about the safety of Ukrainian military personnel. For many families who have lost loved ones to brutal treatment of prisoners, places like Olenivka, Taganrog, and Kamyshin have become symbols of tragedy. The situation demands urgent international attention and action to address breaches of international humanitarian law.