One member of Ukraine’s Azov battalion, Oleksandr Ishchenko, has died in Russian custody. Ishchenko was among 24 former and current Azov members, including nine women, who were arrested on terrorism charges in southern Russia in March-May 2022. Russia’s Memorial human rights organization has deemed all of them political prisoners. Ishchenko’s death was revealed during a military court hearing in Rostov-on-Don, with the court postponing hearings until August 7 to await documentation on his death from the pre-trial detention center where he was held. Ukrainian ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets learned of Ishchenko’s death from his daughter, stating that the Geneva Conventions require prisoners of war to receive adequate medical care.
Ishchenko reportedly suffered a hypertensive crisis as early as last July, for which he was administered an injection. Prosecutors claimed he was feeling fine at the time. Azov fighters played a crucial role in defending the besieged city of Mariupol during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and Ishchenko joined Azov as a driver in the early stages of the conflict. The battalion was originally formed in 2014 as a far-right volunteer paramilitary unit fighting pro-Russian separatists but was later integrated into Ukraine’s national guard. Moscow has used Azov’s past extremist connections to justify what it calls the “denazification” of Ukraine. Russia’s Supreme Court labeled Azov a terrorist organization in August 2022, months after the 24 accused members were detained.
The trial of the nine women and two men from Azov, who are being tried in absentia after a prisoner exchange, has gained international attention. Justice Info reported that only six of them were active soldiers at the time of their capture, with seven having already left military service before the Russian invasion. Only one member reportedly admitted his guilt the previous year. Concerns have been raised about the treatment of the Azov members in Russian custody, with questions surrounding Ishchenko’s death and the circumstances leading up to it. The ombudsman for Ukraine has requested information from his Russian counterpart regarding the cause of Ishchenko’s death and the events surrounding it.
The death of Ishchenko has raised additional concerns about the treatment of prisoners within the Russian justice system. The lack of official notification to the Ukrainian authorities regarding Ishchenko’s death has sparked outrage, with Ukrainian ombudsman Lubinets highlighting the need for adequate medical care for prisoners of war. The delay in court hearings following Ishchenko’s death has further fueled speculation about the circumstances of his passing. The international community is closely monitoring the cases of the Azov members detained in Russia, with attention being drawn to the sensitive political nature of their arrests.
As news of Ishchenko’s death spreads, calls for transparency and accountability have intensified. The Geneva Conventions, which outline the treatment of prisoners of war, emphasize the importance of ensuring their well-being and access to medical care. The circumstances surrounding Ishchenko’s death and the conditions faced by the Azov members in Russian custody have become subjects of international scrutiny. The trial of the accused Azov members, with allegations of terrorism leveled against them, has raised questions about the fairness and impartiality of the Russian legal system. The tragic passing of Ishchenko has added urgency to the need for a thorough investigation into his death and the broader treatment of prisoners within the Russian justice system.
