A Kyiv court ordered the pre-trial detention of a former Ukrainian prisoner of war accused of abusing fellow captives [1].
The case highlights the legal complexities and internal frictions that arise when prisoners of war return home, specifically regarding allegations of collaboration with enemy forces.
Dmytro Matyushenko, 27 [2], appeared before the Pecherskyi District Court on June 18 [3]. The court ordered a detention period of two months [1].
Investigators from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), and the Prosecutor’s Office notified Matyushenko of the suspicions against him on June 17 [4].
Authorities said Matyushenko collaborated with Russian forces during his captivity. He is accused of agreeing to serve as a "zavgosp," a term for a barracks manager, within a prisoner-of-war facility [1]. In this role, he allegedly mistreated other Ukrainian prisoners [1].
The legal proceedings focus on the nature of his cooperation with the occupier and the subsequent abuse of his peers. The two-month detention allows investigators to further examine the evidence and testimony regarding the conditions and conduct within the barracks managed by Matyushenko [1].
“A Kyiv court ordered the pre-trial detention of a former Ukrainian prisoner of war accused of abusing fellow captives.”
This legal action underscores the Ukrainian government's effort to prosecute individuals who may have collaborated with Russian forces during captivity. By targeting those who assumed positions of authority—such as barracks managers—and used that power to abuse fellow prisoners, the state is signaling that cooperation with the occupier will be scrutinized regardless of the circumstances of capture.
