A soldier's fingers were mangled by metal tools The women were forced to hold their hands above their heads. The hospitalized prisoners of war were left to die.
The Hill spoke to a group of former prisoners of war and their families about life after they were captured by the Russians.
Many Ukrainians were exchanged for Russian prisoners of war during the war. The Ukrainian activist was captured in April after joining the fight against Russia.
Russian soldiers accused him of financing terrorist organizations and preparing a terrorist attack on Russian soldiers after they discovered he had been running supplies to Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.
During weeks in Russian captivity, the soldier twisted and cut his fingers with pliers and metal scissors. He said that other prisoners were beaten to death.
A translator with PR Army, an organization that helped connect the former POWs to The Hill and translate interviews, said that every day he was called out for torturing, they wanted him to give his friends away.
He said that they tried to get him to be the mayor of Kherson.
The Russian forces took Kurayan's phone and used his social media accounts to post pictures of him with Ukrainian forces that appeared to advocate for them to surrender to Russia.
Some of the posts Russian soldiers made on their father's account were provided by the daughter of the man. The posts were deleted after he was freed from Russian captivity.
Some of the captured Ukrainian soldiers were taken to Russia.
The daughter of a Ukrainian soldier and her sister were captured by the Russians after the invasion began.
Russian soldiers were able to quickly take over her small village near the Russian border, cutting off all supplies to the town and encouraging residents to take a bus to Russia, where they would be sent to a "filtration camp"
She said her mother, who worked for the Ukrainian army, was captured in February and taken to Russia where she was photographed naked, given little food and water, and heard screams from other prisoners asking for their deaths.
The Russian soldiers would humiliate the prisoners and if they dropped their hands they would be beaten, according to Todorashko. The soldiers shaved the women's heads.
All of Russia's people were wearing masks. You won't see their faces.
Viktoria was released weeks after being imprisoned and taken to a Ukrainian hospital only for Todorashko's sister, Valeria, to be captured in March as Russians worked to find any evidence she was working for the Ukrainian forces.
Russia couldn't find any evidence of such activities, so she was freed.
The Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond to The Hill's questions about the abuse and torture of Ukrainian prisoners.
Hlib Stryszko said he was shielding women and children when he was wounded by the Russians.
He said he saw a tank approaching the building from the third floor balcony. He fell from the third floor after the tank fired at him.
Stryszko was taken to the hospital, where he was unable to open his eyes due to injuries to his jaw. Two days after he was treated for his injuries, Russian forces took over the hospital and refused to treat anyone who wasn't Russian.
Stryszko said he was not treated for his injuries after he spoke Russian.
Stryszko, a translator from the PR Army, said that he spent a week in the hospital without getting help. They would come up to him and say 'Hey, hang in there soldier, maybe something will come up for you.'
Along with the limited treatment, Stryszko said music would be blasted at the soldiers and Chechen fighters.
When soldiers are wounded, they will take out their knives and start cutting them.
Stryszko said he was taken to Russia because he couldn't go to prison due to his condition. He was taken to a Ukrainian hospital where he is being treated for his injuries.
Family members didn't know if their loved ones were still alive or dead.
In an interview with Natsya Popandopulos, a member of the nonprofit PR Army, the daughter of Kurayan said that it was hell on earth.
The only person who could speak out about her father's captivity was her, with family members fearing their own freedom and livelihood if they spoke out.
The daughter of a woman who was captured by the Russians said she was unaware of her mother's capture until she was freed. Her brother hid a phone and messaged her when he was in the village.
The device had to be hidden because Russian soldiers would take anything they wanted, including phones and laptops.
I was scared. It was frightening that she hadn't been in contact with her mom and sister for so long.
The fear and abuse of Ukrainians in Russia was not new.
The home of Volodymyr Balukh was overrun by Russian forces. He kept flying the Ukrainian flag and switched from speaking Russian to Ukrainian.
He said Russian forces planted explosives at his house in an attempt to frame him as a terrorist as he ran food and supplies to the Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines.
Balukh spent three years in prison after Russian soldiers waterboarded him, stripped him naked and threatened him with rape.
Popandopulos, one of the translators, said that there was a struggle for modesty in captivity. The Russian system is built to push everyone from themselves.
Balukh is still trying to help the war effort in Ukraine and is trying to raise money for the defense of its territory.
He had some advice to give to Ukrainians who are under Russian control.
In captivity, perseverance, faith and steadfastness are very important, according to Popandopulos. Knowing what you are fighting for is important. What are you trying to accomplish?
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