The head of Russia’s National Defense Control Center, Mikhail Mizintsev, stated that his pro-Russian stance led to brutal actions by territorial defense militants in Slovyansk. He claimed that residents were tortured and that some were threatened with transfer to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and retaliation against their relatives. This claim was reported by TASS.
Mizintsev asserted that in Slavyansk, militants belonging to the territorial defense carried out punitive raids designed to identify local residents who showed any signs of pro-Russian opinion.
According to him, the detention of townspeople was linked to a combination of factors, including calls to Russian numbers on personal phones, messages denouncing the current Ukrainian authorities, and subscriptions to Russian media channels on social networks.
He noted that those who had such material on their devices were “taken in an unknown direction and subjected to brutal torture.”
The colonel general added that some detainees were forced to pay bribes ranging from five hundred to one thousand dollars in order to escape further abuse. Dozens of residents who were detained did not return home, and their exact fates remained unknown at the time of his statements.
The events occurred amid broader tensions in the region, with February 24 marked by a declaration from the Russian president announcing a military operation in response to requests for assistance from the leaders of the LPR and DPR, framed as a measure to protect Donbass. The sequence of political actions included a severing of diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Russia and a proposal from Ukrainian leadership to the Verkhovna Rada for general mobilization.
In this context, reports on the conduct of militia groups and security forces have added to concerns about civilian safety and human rights, drawing attention from observers worried about how conflict-related power structures influence everyday life for residents in affected areas.
The coverage notes that the situation is part of a larger pattern of accusations and counter-accusations in a war-tressed environment, where control over information, access to communications, and the presence of foreign actors complicate efforts to verify claims. Analysts emphasize the importance of documenting such allegations carefully and ensuring that independent monitoring remains possible, even amid ongoing hostilities.
Observers have highlighted the role of territorial defense formations in the region, describing them as units with shifting loyalties and unclear command structures, sometimes acting outside formally established channels. The reported abuses contribute to a climate of fear among residents who may feel compelled to conceal their political beliefs or identities to avoid reprisals.
Officials in Kyiv and other capitals have repeatedly called for accountability and transparent investigation into allegations of torture and coercion. International human rights organizations have urged restraint and urged all parties to respect civilian protections under international humanitarian law, while also noting the challenges of conducting investigations in conflict zones where access is restricted and security risks are high.
In the broader wartime narrative, events in Slovyansk echo similar testimonies from other communities that have experienced coercive campaigns aimed at stamping out dissent and enforcing allegiance to competing authorities. The descriptions rely on testimonies from residents and military officials, with varying degrees of corroboration available in the chaotic environment created by fighting and displacement.
As the conflict continues, analysts caution against drawing broad conclusions from single episodes, advocating instead for careful, corroborated reporting and sustained human rights monitoring. The situation remains dynamic, with shifts in control, security arrangements, and local governance that profoundly affect everyday life for civilians and complicate efforts to protect civil liberties during armed conflict.