UN rapporteur reports widespread terror charges against Ukrainians
According to Mariana Katzarova, around 90 per cent of Ukrainian prisoners in Russian court cases are prosecuted as terrorists.
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A special UN rapporteur says Russian courts accuse around 90 per cent of the Ukrainian prisoners appearing before them of terrorism. Mariana Katzarova said in an interview that 438 Ukrainians have died in Russian captivity; the precise underlying record has not been made public.
Katzarova, the United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights situation in Russia, made the remarks in an interview with the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. She said Ukrainian military personnel and other prisoners in Russia are often not treated as prisoners of war, but as terrorism suspects.
According to the rapporteur, the Russian system uses charges against members of Ukrainian units that Russia has designated as terrorist organisations. This allows military personnel to be prosecuted for their alleged membership of a unit or for actions during the war, rather than under the rules applicable to prisoners of war.
A UN report on the treatment of Ukrainians in Russian detention describes the same legal practice. It says Russian authorities do not formally recognise the prisoner-of-war status of Ukrainian military personnel and prosecute many of them under terrorism legislation. The report also states that in 2024 at least 109 Ukrainians were convicted on politically motivated terrorism charges and 303 new cases were opened.
The UN rapporteur also said that torture and impunity remain a structural problem in her view. The figures of 90 per cent and 438 deaths come from her recent statement. Ukrinform does not publish the complete underlying dataset.
The issue is directly linked to international humanitarian law. Under the rules of the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war may be held until the end of hostilities, but may not be prosecuted as terrorists solely because they took part in fighting. It is unclear how Russia is responding substantively to these allegations of systematic unlawful prosecution and mistreatment.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A special UN rapporteur has cited the figures of around 90 per cent and 438 deaths.
- A UN report describes how Russia does not recognise many Ukrainian military personnel as prisoners of war.
- The UN report mentions prosecutions under terrorism legislation and politically motivated convictions.
- The complete current dataset underlying the rapporteur's figures is not publicly available in the sources consulted.
Left
Arguments Ukrainian military personnel and civilians must be protected under international humanitarian law; under this approach, prosecution on terrorist grounds may be a way of intimidating prisoners of war and occupied populations.
Values Emphasis on human rights, legal protection and international accountability.
Consequences Greater international pressure, sanctions and independent access to detention centres would be necessary, even if this made diplomacy with Russia more difficult.
Centre
Arguments The allegations should be investigated independently, while prisoners should gain access to legal assistance and international monitoring as soon as possible.
Values Emphasis on evidence, procedural rigour and compliance with existing treaties.
Consequences An independent investigation could increase the reliability of the figures and leave room for negotiations on exchanges.
Right
Arguments Russia will argue that it may apply its own law to people it regards as a threat to the state; supporters of this position emphasise national security and the prosecution of armed groups.
Values Emphasis on state sovereignty, order and protection against armed opponents.
Consequences This approach may lead to prolonged detention and severe sentences, but according to the UN it conflicts with the special protection afforded to prisoners of war.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The publication explicitly attributes the current figures to the UN rapporteur and does not present them as fully independently verified. The broader legal context is supported by a UN report.
- confirmed UN rapporteur Mariana Katzarova said on 3 November that around 90 per cent of Ukrainian prisoners in Russian court cases are accused of terrorism. — Ukrinform published the interview and the statement on 3 November 2026. source
- confirmed Katzarova said that 438 Ukrainians have died in Russian captivity. — The figure appears in Ukrinform's account of the interview; the underlying dataset is not publicly available in the source. source
- confirmed A UN report describes how Russia often does not recognise Ukrainian military personnel as prisoners of war and prosecutes them under terrorism legislation. — This is stated in paragraphs 126–127 of the UN report. source
- confirmed In 2024, at least 109 Ukrainians were convicted on politically motivated terrorism charges and 303 new cases were opened. — This is stated in paragraph 120 of the UN report. source
Editor's note
The current figures are statements by UN rapporteur Mariana Katzarova, quoted by Ukrinform. A UN report confirms the prosecution practice described, but does not independently confirm the precise figures of 90 per cent and 438 deaths.Sources
- UN rapporteur: 90% of Ukrainian prisoners tried in Russian courts face terrorism charges — Ukrinform
- Detention and treatment of Ukrainians — United Nations Digital Library
- UN Geneva press briefing on human rights in Ukraine — United Nations Office at Geneva
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