Harrowing new details have emerged about the torture of Ukrainian prisoners and civilians by Russian forces, as revealed in a United Nations report set to be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in mid-October 2025. The findings, which have sent shockwaves through the international community, describe a systematic campaign of brutality that echoes some of the darkest chapters of the Soviet era. According to multiple reports, including those from The Telegraph and The Express, Russian authorities have employed a range of torture methods, with one particularly cruel technique known as the "call to Putin"—a method involving electric shocks delivered to the genitals and other sensitive areas using a Soviet-era TA-57 field telephone.
Dr. Alice Jill Edwards, the United Nations special rapporteur on torture and author of the report, did not mince words about the scale and severity of the abuses. "The scale is really off the charts about how many people who are detained are subjected to some form of degrading or inhumane treatment," she told The Telegraph. The report, based on at least ten documented cases of horrific treatment of civilians in Russian-occupied territories, paints a grim picture of war crimes and crimes against humanity being perpetrated with chilling regularity.
The so-called "call to Putin" method involves connecting wires from the hand-cranked TA-57 field telephone to the ears, fingers, feet, and genitals of prisoners. When the device is cranked, it delivers an excruciating 80-volt electric shock to the victim. This practice, which is also referred to as a "call to Lenin" or "tapik" within the Russian military, is not a relic of the past but a present-day reality for many Ukrainian detainees. According to The Express, the device is capable of generating up to 80 volts of electricity, resulting in gut-wrenching pain for those subjected to it.
But the electric shocks are just one facet of a much broader pattern of abuse. The UN report documents other forms of torture, including gang rapes, beatings—often while the victims are nude—stabbing of genitals, burning of nipples, threats of castration, and the use of stun guns on the genital region. In some cases, psychological pressure and threats were employed, and needles were reportedly driven under the fingernails of victims. The victims, four women and six men from three different Ukrainian regions, included individuals from areas recently liberated by Ukrainian forces.
One particularly harrowing case highlighted in the report involves Ukrainian prisoner of war Andriy Pereverzev, who not only endured electric shock torture but was also branded with the words "Glory to Russia" on his abdomen while in captivity. The trauma inflicted on survivors is profound, with many left scarred both physically and psychologically. Images circulated on social media and by news agencies such as east2west news and AFP have shown Ukrainian servicemen, visibly shaken, calling home after their release from Russian captivity near the Ukrainian-Belarusian border.
Dr. Edwards was unequivocal in her assessment of responsibility, stating, "It is the level of the state; it’s Putin himself and [foreign minister Sergei] Lavrov who have responsibility for these types of policies. The Russian state itself will be held accountable. Torture remains part of, in my view, Russian war tactics and war policy." She further emphasized, "At no time have I seen directives from the hierarchy for Russian soldiers and others to stop torturing. That’s what I’ve asked for. Those directives do not exist." In her view, the absence of such orders from the highest levels of Russian leadership indicates state-level complicity and intent.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also weighed in on the findings, underscoring the plight of civilian detainees. "Our report lays bare the human rights violations inflicted on civilian detainees. People have been arbitrarily picked off the streets in occupied territory, charged under shifting legal bases and held for days, weeks, months, and even years, often with limited contact with their families," Türk said, as reported by The Express. He stressed the importance of prioritizing the human rights of these detainees in any future peace negotiations, noting that many have been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict.
The scale of sexual violence is also staggering. In June 2025, Ukraine’s top prosecutor reported 363 documented cases of sexual violence against civilians, including 19 against children, according to The Telegraph. The report’s cases are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of abuse that, according to Dr. Edwards, "shows us the worst of humanity." The documented abuses are not limited to physical torture; victims have also been forced to witness sexual violence against family members, compounding their trauma.
The UN report is careful to note that while the overwhelming majority of documented cases involve Russian forces, there have also been some allegations of Ukrainian troops inflicting torture. Dr. Edwards stated, "Those also need to be well-documented, and perpetrators brought to account." This call for accountability on all sides echoes the broader principles of international law and human rights, which demand impartial investigations and justice for all victims, regardless of the perpetrator.
In response to these grave allegations, Dr. Edwards has sent a formal letter to the Kremlin requesting a response. As of press time, there has been no public indication that Russian authorities have issued any directives to halt the torture or have acknowledged the allegations in any substantive way. This silence, coupled with the evidence gathered by the UN and Ukrainian authorities, has led many observers to conclude that torture is not only tolerated but is a deliberate component of Russian military strategy in Ukraine.
The implications of the UN’s findings are far-reaching. International legal experts point out that systematic torture and sexual violence in armed conflict constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. The personal attribution of responsibility to President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by Dr. Edwards marks a significant escalation in the rhetoric surrounding Russian accountability. It also raises questions about the potential for future prosecutions and the willingness of the international community to enforce existing norms against torture.
As the world awaits the Kremlin’s response and the formal presentation of the report to the UN Human Rights Council, the stories of Ukrainian victims serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the conflict. The testimonies gathered by Dr. Edwards and her team are not just evidence for legal proceedings—they are pleas for justice from those who have suffered unimaginable cruelty. Whether the international community will heed those pleas remains to be seen, but the facts, as laid bare by the UN, leave little room for ambiguity about the scale and severity of the abuses being committed.
For now, the survivors and their families continue to grapple with the aftermath, hoping that the world will not turn away from the horrors they have endured—and that those responsible will one day be held to account.