Ukrainian Civilians Vanish & Languish In Russian Jails

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) – Many civilians have been detained by Russian forces since the war in Ukraine began. They are languishing in jails for months without charges as their relatives seek to find out what’s happened to them. Some have been deemed prisoners of war even though they never took part in the fighting. Others remain in a sort of legal limbo. Ukraine’s top human rights organization says they received requests concerning around 900 civilians seized by Russia and more than half are still in captivity. One Ukrainian human rights official puts the number even higher. He says his office received inquiries concerning more than 20,000 “civilian hostages” detained by Russian forces.