One of the captured defenders of Mariupol, who was subjected to a show trial by Russians, dies in a Rostov detention center

According to Russian media, the heart of another Ukrainian soldier has stopped beating in Russian captivity. Azov regiment driver Oleksandr Ishchenko, who defended Mariupol and was captured by the occupiers, died in a pre-trial detention center in Rostov-on-Don, as confirmed by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

The invaders held a trial over Oleksandr and 23 other Ukrainian prisoners of war. The death of the Hero was reported by the Russian media outlet Mediazona.

"Ukrainian prisoner of war Oleksandr Ishchenko, who served as a driver in the Azov regiment, died in a pre-trial detention center in Rostov-on-Don. According to a Mediaphone correspondent, this was reported during a meeting of the Southern District Military Court in Rostov-on-Don, which is considering the case of Ishchenko and 23 other 'Azov' soldiers. The pre-trial detention center has not yet provided the court with documents confirming the death of the defendant," the newspaper writes.

Mediazona does not name the cause of death of the Ukrainian soldier who was in Russian captivity, nor does it mention the torture suffered by Ukrainians from Russians, nor the inhumane conditions in which Russia holds prisoners of war.

Oleksandr Ishchenko was 55 years old. Back in February 2022, he volunteered to join the Azov Regiment, was a driver, and defended Mariupol with his comrades. In the spring of the same year, like other Azovstal defenders, he was taken prisoner by Russia.

After that, the occupiers held a show trial for Oleksandr and 23 other Ukrainians: The defenders were "tried" for allegedly "participating in the activities of a terrorist organization" and "attempting to seize power by force."

According to Mediaport, all the Ukrainians who faced these absurd charges were either contracted or freelance employees of Azov at various times. Some of them took part in the defense of Mariupol and Azovstal, while others had already left the service by the time the full-scale Russian invasion began: the occupiers sought them out and detained them in their homes.

"Two of them – Davyd Kasatkin and Dmytro Labinskyi – have already been exchanged for Russian prisoners of war and are being tried in absentia. Nine women are involved in the case, most of them are cooks who prepared food for the Azov soldiers," the publication adds.

Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, responded to the news of the death of a Ukrainian defender in Russian captivity.

"I learned about the death of 55-year-old Oleksandr Ishchenko, a Mariupol defender who was tried by Russians under a trumped-up article and held in a detention center in Russia. According to the daughter of the Ukrainian defender, he died 9 days ago. However, no one officially informed the Ukrainian side about this. There was also no official report on the cause of death of the Ukrainian citizen. Therefore, I immediately addressed a letter to the Russian Ombudsman to investigate the tragic death of a prisoner of war held by the Russian side and to inform me of the circumstances and cause of death of Oleksandr Ishchenko," the ombudsman wrote.

Lubinets also informed the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations about another death of a Ukrainian prisoner of war in Russian captivity, so that both organizations could record the fact of the death of a Ukrainian who was protected by the Geneva Conventions and finally pay attention to the conditions in which Russians are holding our captive compatriots.

"Ukraine demands that the Russian Federation strictly comply with the Geneva Conventions – provide the necessary medical care, set up a mixed medical commission to enable the repatriation of all seriously ill and seriously wounded. Let me remind you that according to Article 12 of the Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, prisoners of war are in the hands of the enemy state, not the individuals or military units that took them prisoner. Regardless of the responsibility that individuals may bear, the capturing state is responsible for the treatment of prisoners of war," Lubinets emphasized.

The Russian human rights organization Memorial recognized all Ukrainians who are being demonstratively "tried" by war criminals in Russia as political prisoners. It also named the names of Ukrainian heroes who defended their homeland and whose trial has been ongoing since July 19, 2022.

In addition to Ishchenko, 12 other people are being "tried" under articles on organizing the activities of a terrorist organization and participating in it:

Avramova Olena Lazarivna (born in 1973),

Bondarenko Nina Ihorivna (born in 1984),

Bondarchuk Olena Oleksandrivna (born in 1981),

Nataliia Volodymyrivna Holfiner (born in 1974),

Anatolii Petrovych Hrytsiuk (born in 1976),

Zharkov Oleh Volodymyrovych (born in 1971),

Maiboroda Vladyslava Volodymyrivna (born in 2001),

Mohytych Iryna Oleksandrivna (born in 1981),

Mezhhorodskyi Oleh Dmytrovych (born in 1979),

Pavrianidis Liliia Vitaliivna (born in 1994),

Rudenko Liliia Murativna (born in 1984),

Tekin Maryna Olehivna (born in 1990).

On each charge, they face up to 20 years in prison.

Another 11 Ukrainians are also accused of receiving training to conduct terrorist activities:

Hrebieshkov Artem Serhiyovych (born in 1993),

Artur Olehovych Hretskyi (born in 2002),

Zhdamarov Yaroslav Volodymyrovych (born in 1993),

Irkha Oleksandr Vasyliovych (born in 1979),

Kasatkin Davyd Heorhiyoevych (born in 1996, released from captivity)

Dmytro Labinskyi (born in 2000, released from captivity),

Merochenets Oleksandr Oleksandrovych (born in 1999),

Mukhin Oleksandr Oleksandrovych (born in 1993),

Oleksii Volodymyrovych Smykov (born in 1996),

Mykyta Hennadiyovych Timonin (born in 1995),

Oleh Mykolayovych Tyshkul (born in 1969).

They face life imprisonment.

Earlier, it became known that a soldier who survived Russian torture was killed in captivity. A 47-year-old Ukrainian soldier Yurii Reshta from Kryvyi Rih stood up to defend his homeland on February 24, 2022, took part in the defense of Mariupol, and was taken prisoner. The Russians tortured and shot him. The family and friends of the soldier, who had seven children waiting for him at home, have only now had the opportunity to say goodbye: the body of the Ukrainian was handed over by Russian war criminals with three bullet wounds to the chest and one to the head.

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