Many POWs freed by Russia had suffered torture – senior Ukraine official

KYIV (Reuters) – The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence said on Thursday the percentage of released Ukrainian prisoners of war who had suffered torture while in Russian detention was “rather high”.

Kyrylo Budanov was speaking at a news conference a day after a prisoner swap was agreed between Russia and Ukraine involving almost 300 people, including foreigners.

Some of the Ukrainian POWs released by Russia were currently receiving rehabilitation in hospital in Ukraine, the country’s interior minister, Denys Monastyrskyi, told the same news conference.

(Reporting by Max Hunder; Writing by Gareth Jones)