"Beaten with hands, feet, and batons": Freed Azov Regiment fighter described russian torture
Andrii Tretiakov, a defender of Mariupol freed from captivity in October 2024, recounted the torture and abuse he endured at the hands of russian forces in an interview with OstroV.
On October 18, 2024, another prisoner exchange took place, bringing 95 Ukrainians home, including Tretiakov, who had been captured by russian occupiers in May 2022.
"When I was sent to Olenivka, conditions were somewhat tolerable. Yes, we were not fed properly, and there were issues with hygiene, and water supply. But I can’t say the treatment was utterly inhumane. However, in Taganrog, the staff was much more ‘enthusiastic’. There, we faced torture and abuse. To give you an idea, on the floor where my cell was, one of our guys died from exhaustion. It was freezing in the cells, especially in winter", - he said.
According to him, six people were crammed into a cell, and walks were allowed only once a week.
"Walks lasted about one and a half to two minutes, once a week. We were given water to wash ourselves only once a week as well, for about one and a half minutes, and it wasn’t always hot water—often, it was just cold", - Tretiakov explained.
He also mentioned the poor quality and small portions of food provided to Ukrainian prisoners.
"The portions were meager, and the food quality was as bad as you can imagine. For six months, the main meals consisted of rotten potatoes and cabbage—about three to four potatoes per portion", - the Mariupol defender said.
As for torture, Tretiakov described constant beatings with hands, feet, batons, the use of electric shock devices, and a "tapik" (a field telephone with an induction coil).
"The ‘tapik’ was often connected to genitals or ears. This was done periodically, typically about once a week during interrogations. They would take us out of the cell one by one and interrogate us weekly", - he recounted.
Currently, Andrii Tretiakov is undergoing rehabilitation and plans to return to the front lines.