Two Russian Torturers Identified by Ukrainian Intelligence for Rape and Abuse of Prisoners

War Criminals Identified

According to Главком: Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) has identified two Russian individuals involved in torturing Ukrainian prisoners of war at Penal Colony No. 7. Starting in October 2022, these perpetrators systematically abused detainees through sexual violence and severe degradation. The colony's administration established a brutal treatment system designed to break prisoners' will, force them to accept Russian citizenship, and coerce false testimony.

According to intelligence data, the suspects are Vyacheslav Cherdantsev (nicknamed Konoval), a doctor at Colony No. 7, and Yaroslav Kirilov, a Russian citizen incarcerated at the same facility. Evidence shows that from October 2022 onward, both men regularly tortured Ukrainian POWs, committing sexual assault and humiliating them. The investigation has documented at least one case of rape using a foreign object, along with other abuse episodes.

Torture Methods

Investigators found that Colony No. 7's administration orchestrated a cruel treatment system involving both staff and selected inmates. The torture aimed to break prisoners' resistance, push them into taking Russian citizenship, and extract false statements. Beyond sexual violence, other forms of abuse were employed.

• During registration, prisoners were forced to crawl naked and wet across the floor while being beaten with sticks and electric shock weapons.
• One captive had a fingernail ripped out without anesthesia; others received injections of unknown substances causing severe pain.

Intelligence reports that Cherdantsev drew genital images and obscene inscriptions on prisoners' bodies and faces using brilliant green solution. He also ordered colony guards to beat the POWs. Meanwhile, Yaroslav Kirilov directly participated in torture and psychological terror against Ukrainian detainees.

Additionally, the SBU military counterintelligence, State Bureau of Investigation, and Prosecutor General's Office have gathered evidence against a senior National Guard rifleman who, while himself a Russian captive, abused fellow Ukrainian prisoners. As the intelligence agency notes,

“a sick prisoner with a fever over 39°C was brutally beaten; the suspect stepped on his head, then ordered an accomplice to hold the victim under a cold shower for 20 minutes while continuing the assault.”

The colony administration deliberately kept naked scabies-infected patients together with healthy ones, refusing treatment and causing widespread disease. Hygiene access was severely limited: showers were allowed only once per week, and no toilet paper was provided.

These facts reveal systematic human rights violations during wartime and abuses by occupying forces. Identifying the perpetrators is a crucial step toward holding them accountable and gaining international recognition of crimes committed against Ukrainian POWs. At the same time, these events underscore the need for international oversight of human rights in conflict zones and ensuring justice for victims. Continued investigations into such cases can help build legal frameworks to punish war criminals and prevent similar atrocities in the future.

In light of the recent revelations regarding the brutal practices at Penal Colony No. 7, it is crucial to understand the role of key individuals in these atrocities. For instance, the investigation has also uncovered the identity of a notorious doctor, known as Konoval, who has been linked to similar acts of torture at another facility. To learn more about his involvement and the broader context of these crimes, you can read further about the torturer doctor at Pakino Prison Colony.