(Kyiv) – Investigative journalists have uncovered a disturbing filtration camp located in Naroulia, Belarus, where hundreds of Ukrainians, including children, were detained and subjected to torture. The camp was established by Russian forces as part of their efforts to control and suppress those under their occupation.
The camp, situated on the grounds of the Belarusian state enterprise Prypiatsky Alliance near the Belarus-Ukraine border, operated from March to May 2022. It was part of a wider network of similar camps set up by Russian forces in both Ukraine and Belarus. These camps were designed to hold Ukrainian civilians and military personnel, allegedly to extract information from detainees, many of whom were accused of being resistance fighters or spies. Investigations have shown that the majority of the detainees faced inhumane treatment, including severe physical abuse, forced disappearances, and inadequate living conditions.
The investigation was carried out by a collaborative effort involving the Schemes Project (Radio Svoboda’s Ukrainian service), the Belarusian Investigative Center, Radio Svoboda’s Belarusian service, The Reckoning Project, and the Cyber Partisans hacker group. The team used testimonies from former detainees, satellite imagery, and leaked Russian propaganda videos to pinpoint the exact location of the camp.
Survivors of the camp and their families have described the harrowing conditions they endured. The camp was notorious for its overcrowded cells, lack of sanitation, and a constant atmosphere of fear. Prisoners were subjected to intense beatings, often as part of brutal interrogations designed to extract confessions or force compliance.
According to Dmytro Dzhulai, a journalist from Radio Svoboda, there are reports that civilian detainees were transported from Hostomel Airport in groups, first in March and later during the Russian retreat from Kyiv Oblast. This transportation route led many of these civilians through the Naroulia filtration camp in Belarus.
The camp in Naroulia is considered one of the most brutal among the Russian-run filtration camps. Former detainees and their relatives have described the violence and suffering experienced at the facility, which reportedly targeted civilians who were suspected of resisting the Russian occupation. Some of those detained in the camp still remain in captivity, many of them now held in Russian “correctional” colonies. The investigation into these abuses continues, with human rights defenders and journalists working to uncover further details of the atrocities.
Despite the horrors, efforts to document these war crimes are ongoing, with the aim to ensure accountability for those responsible for the brutal treatment of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel.
Armed with a Laptop and a cup of coffee, Rothschild is on a mission to conquer the news world, one headline at a time.
Be First to Comment