Investigation Details Detention Practices in Occupied Crimea
A new inquiry into Russian-controlled facilities in Crimea reveals allegations of prolonged detention without charge and severe abuse of Ukrainian civilians.
An investigation by the Kyiv Independent has uncovered details about two pretrial detention centers in occupied Crimea, alleging that Ukrainian civilians are held for extended periods without formal charges, legal representation, or family contact. According to the report, these facilities operate under the watch of Russia’s Federal Security Service, where detainees have reported instances of torture and abuse.
Former detainees and their families described a system of uncertainty, with some relatives unaware of whether their abducted loved ones were still alive. The inquiry suggests that these centers have become central to a broader mechanism for detaining individuals from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts following the full-scale invasion.
Facilities Under Security Service Control
While the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service formally operates Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in Simferopol, testimony indicates the FSB maintains special access to the site. The second facility, SIZO No. 8, came under FSB control in March 2026, with leadership details classified. The investigation identifies Anton Panin, a former FSB investigator involved in cases against Crimean Tatar activists, as likely remaining in charge despite his official dismissal.
Accounting for Detainee Suffering
Interviews with thirteen former detainees and testimony provided through lawyers paint a picture of harsh conditions. One individual, identified as Anatolii, described being abducted from his home in August 2022 after assisting in the evacuation of wounded soldiers. He reported being beaten, blindfolded, and subjected to electric shocks, choking, and the removal of fingernails during interrogations at makeshift sites in southern Ukraine.
Atanoli stated that his captors forced him to sign documents and identify contacts on the Ukrainian side, suspecting Russian police and FSB officers were present. His account highlights the pattern of extrajudicial punishment and coercion reported by others who spent years in Russian-controlled prisons before eventually leaving the occupied territories.
Methodology of the Inquiry
The Kyiv Independent’s findings are based on interviews with former detainees, statements from relatives, and an analysis of official responses from Russian agencies. Reporters also examined leaked data, satellite imagery, and internal documents from both detention centers to map the operational structure of the facilities and the roles of key personnel involved in their management.
