Russian Soldiers Hold Muslim Ukrainians Captive, Force Them To Help Or Be Killed

The Russian army is currently holding many Muslim Ukrainians captive in temporarily-occupied areas and forcing them to collaborate or be killed.

Speaking during a briefing at Media Center Ukraine-Ukrinform, Sheikh Murat Suleymanov, Mufti of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine UMMA, said the Russian army is threatening to kill captured Muslims if they either refused to stay silent or help Moscow’s troops in the war.

“There are Muslims who do nothing: they were told that they would be fine as long as they remained silent. There are some cases of arresting or torturing people for no particular reason. Many Muslims preferred to stay. There are many Muslims in Donbas, Mariupol, and Novooleksiivka. Many are afraid to speak out as someone might hear and kill them,” Suleymanov said.

“[The occupiers] beat them or keep them in captivity for a long time, or there are oftentimes when people are threatened with death. They say that if you do not help us, we will kill you. There are arrests and searches in Crimea. But we understand all this is done to frighten the Crimean Tatar people and to make the Crimean Tatars change their position,” he added.

Despite the threats from the Russian army, Suleymanov said they will continue sharing stories about the events in Ukraine with Muslims and people living in other countries.

“If we remain silent, it is evil. Therefore, it is our responsibility. We need to work on it and try to do it accurately. When we do it right, there will be a result,” he added.

Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February last year. Since then, there have been multiple reports of the Russian army torturing and beating Ukrainian civilians, regardless of their race.

One such report came from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in November. The body said it found that Russian forces committed widespread abuse against prisoners captured in Ukraine.

Some prisoners described suffering through “admission procedures,” which included prolonged beatings, attacks by dogs, and mock executions. Others said the Russian army tied their hands and covered their eyes using duct tape, which left wounds on their wrists and faces that bled for days.

The report also detailed accounts where Russian guards were accused of inserting lit cigarettes in a victim’s nostrils.