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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Peter Beaumont in Kyiv

Ukrainian boy held hostage by Russia tells of cleaning up torture rooms

Torture Russia AFPGetty Images
Vladislav Buryak, right, with his father Oleg
Vladislav Buryak, right, with his father, Oleg: ‘The torture would continue, sometimes for several hours.’ Photograph: c/o Oleg Buryak

A 16-year-old Ukrainian boy has described how he was held hostage by Russian soldiers for 90 days as he heard other prisoners being tortured in a nearby cell.

Vladislav Buryak, who was separated from his family on 8 April at a checkpoint while attempting to flee the city of Melitopol, was released after a months-long negotiation between his father, Oleg – a local Ukrainian official – and Russian soldiers, who wanted to exchange Vladislav for an individual of interest to the Russian military.

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