A captured Ukrainian soldier who underwent surgery in a Russian-run hospital in occupied territory was deliberately branded with pro-Kremlin slogans, according to an investigation that identified the medical facility where the procedure took place.
Ukrainian soldier Andriy Pereverziev told investigators that he went into shock after waking from surgery to find the words Glory to Russia inscribed on his stomach. The branding was apparently intended as a form of humiliation and psychological warfare against captured Ukrainian personnel.
Journalists who identified the hospital said the case appears to be part of a broader pattern of mistreatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian-controlled medical facilities. Ukrainian authorities have documented multiple cases of POWs subjected to degrading treatment while in Russian custody, raising concerns about violations of the Geneva Conventions governing the treatment of prisoners of war.
Human rights organizations have called for international investigations into the treatment of Ukrainian POWs, noting that deliberate mutilation and branding constitute war crimes under international humanitarian law. The case adds to a growing body of evidence of systematic mistreatment of Ukrainian captives.