Russia 'Fattens Up' POWs Before Exchange, Ukraine Reveals Russian Abuse Concealment Methods

Russia allegedly deliberately fattens up Ukrainian prisoners of war before exchanges to mask the harsh conditions and starvation they endured in captivity, according to Ukrainian officials. Released Ukrainian soldiers and civilians have described being held in specialized cells where they were subjected to a "fattening-up" process before being handed over.

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Those involved in (prisoner) exchanges know that once the Russian side determines which prisoners and civilians will be returned, they go through a "fattening-up" procedure to restore them to a seemingly normal state.

Andrii Pasternak, head of Ukraine's joint center for coordinating the search and release of POWs, stated that Russia implements this procedure once it identifies which prisoners will be part of an exchange. The goal is to restore their weight and make them appear to be in a more normal condition, thereby creating a false impression of humane treatment. Pasternak described this practice itself as a form of abuse, noting the deliberate deprivation of food for some while others are force-fed.

Pasternak highlighted a stark physical disparity during prisoner exchanges, with Russian-released Ukrainians consistently being "very, very thin." He contrasted this with the treatment of Russian POWs held by Ukraine, who he asserted receive adequate food and whose detention facilities are regularly inspected by international bodies like the Red Cross and the UN to ensure compliance with humanitarian law.

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Someone is deliberately not given food, while others are fattened up so they look somewhat normal.

The revelations come amid ongoing prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia since the start of the full-scale invasion. The Ukrainian media outlet RBC-Ukraine reported these details, shedding light on the alleged methods used by Russia to obscure the reality of its treatment of captives.

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All of the Ukrainians released by Russia were very, very thin, with only a very small number in generally normal condition.