One survivor’s account of hellish Russian prison in Kherson

Russia withdrew its forces from the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine last week, leading to scenes of jubilation across the country as the Putin regime suffered its greatest embarrassment yet. The region was seized by Moscow’s troops in March, but a recent counteroffensive forced the invading troops to retreat from the only major city they had managed to capture in their lacklustre attempts to control the nation.But amid the celebrations in the city and beyond, a grim truth has begun to emerge, as evidence of unthinkable war crimes at the hands of Russian forces is uncovered. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that ‘more than 400 Russian war crimes’ were committed in Kherson, and ‘the bodies of both civilians and military personnel are being found.’Now, one survivor has shared his harrowing story of life inside a Russian jail in Kherson, where he was held as a Ukrainian prisoner of war. A man identified only as Valery shared his story with Sky News this week, speaking of the horrors that took place in the prison, including torture and discrimination against Ukrainians.He recalled what happened in emotional testimony: “In the 20 cells, there were more than 180 prisoners. Every day people were tortured. If you get inside the prison and see what they have written on the walls you will see how much they hated us.”He continued: “They were tortured severely. They were electrocuted. They were suffocating people in water. They cut people. They were doing things that I can’t imagine how any human being could do. We were praying that Ukraine would return to Kherson as soon as possible.Breaking down, he said: “Please forgive me. This is hard for me. It’s difficult, very difficult. Please forgive me.”Valery described Russian soldiers destroying computers and other technical equipment when they left. He also recalled the prison graffiti which warned: “Zelenskyy we are coming”. Valery and CCTV footage showing Russian soldiers rading his workplace (Image: SKY NEWS) Graffiti on the walls inside the prison show Russian (Image: SKY NEWS) Russian soldiers captured on CCTV outside the prison in Kherson (Image: SKY NEWS)The revelations in Kherson are not the first evidence of war crimes to come to light since the start of the war. When Russia failed to take the capital Kyiv earlier this year, Moscow’s troops retreated from towns and villages near the city.Bucha, a city in Kyiv’s oblast, was the setting of horrific discoveries. Like what has been seen in Kherson, mass graves and the bodies of civilians were found. President Zelensky visited Bucha, where he accused Russia of genocide and warned it would be “very difficult” to negotiate a peace deal.In September, Ukrainian soldiers also revealed that they had been tortured and “treated like animals” after being taken to a prison camp in Russia. They were taken there from Mariupol, another city occupied by Russia.Lt Illia Samoilenko told the BBC: “I wasn’t physically tortured, so it was far from the things people suffered in other places. They didn’t care about the Geneva [Conventions]. They don’t care about the lives of people. The Russians are also watching these interviews. When they see our happy faces, they’re becoming more mad.”DON’T MISSPutin’s ‘personal confessor’ makes unprecedented plea to end war [INSIGHT]Paying £1bn for climate reparations is absolute lunacy [ANALYSIS]Russians ‘will question war’ after latest retreat [INSIGHT] Ukrainians celebrate their liberation in Kherson (Image: Getty) Mass graves were discovered in Bucha earlier in the war (Image: Getty)Life remains hard in Kherson despite the Russian exit. Power, water and internet connections are all scarce. However, the celebrations of liberation are raising spirits in the city. Reports have shown Ukrainians hoisting their country’s flag from the top of buildings and singing songs in the streets.CNN spoke to one local, Olga, who explained the relief she and others feel now that the Russians are gone. She said: ‘We were terrified by [the] Russian army, we were terrified by soldiers that can come any moment in our house, in our home – just open the door, like they are living here, and steal, kidnap, torture.”Reporter Nic Robinson added: ‘Everyone here is out celebrating in the square here. People are wearing the Ukrainian flag, they’re hugging the soldiers, they’ve come out to see what it’s like to have freedom.”The journalist also spoke to a Ukrainian soldier going by the name of Daniel. He was a part of the first group of Ukrainian forces to enter Kherson after the Russian retreat.He said: ‘It was a real blast for us, finally. Before the 11th [of November], it was five days of hard work, real hard work. Ukrainian soldiers, as always, just confirmed again that they are stronger than the Russians.’