Occupied Makiivka Prison Moves Ukrainian Prisoners to Russia
Ukrainian prisoners of war, civilian political prisoners and people convicted under criminal articles have been transferred from Colony No. 32 in occupied Makiivka, Donetsk region, to Russia, the outlet Novyny Donbasu reports, as cited by Ukrainska Pravda.
Where they were sent
According to the outlet, some political prisoners and convicts were sent to strict-regime Colony No. 1 in Tambov, where they were placed together with Russian convicts. Another group was moved to strict-regime Colony No. 5 in Morshansk, Tambov region. A few Ukrainian political prisoners remain in the Makiivka colony awaiting transfer to Russia; where they will go is not yet known. About 100–120 convicts held in the settlement-type colony attached to Colony No. 32 stay in Makiivka for the winter.
Transfers began in August 2026. The first to be taken to Russia were five Ukrainian servicemen and one civilian political prisoner. The whereabouts of POW Vitalii Chmil, who was moved from Makiivka in mid-August, also became known: first he was held in a pre-trial detention centre in Krasnoyarsk, then moved to strict-regime Colony No. 1 in Kyzyl, in Russia's Tuva Republic near the Mongolian border. He was able to tell relatives where he was thanks to Russian volunteers.
Who was held there
Colony No. 32 held about 35 Ukrainian political prisoners and servicemen, among them five soldiers on exchange lists. Most of them have spent 7–9 years in captivity. The occupiers sentenced them for "espionage", "terrorism" and "extremism" to terms of 10 to 17 years.
Reasons given for the transfer
The colony's administration cited the impossibility of providing proper winter conditions as one reason, including a lack of money to buy coal for heating and interruptions in water and electricity supply in occupied Donetsk region. The moves are also linked to changes in Russian law under which those convicted of terrorism and extremism must serve sentences as far from home as possible, and to the colony's buildings not meeting Russian standards. Vacated premises are already being refitted, including with video surveillance cameras.
Background
On October 23, 2026, two servicemen who had been held in Colony No. 32 returned from captivity in an exchange: Anatolii Kapitskyi, captured in 2020, and Serhii Heremes, held since 2018. More than 30 Ukrainian prisoners from the colony who are on exchange lists remain in captivity. See also World.