Over 3,000 Ukrainians may be held in Russia's "migrant prisons"

More than 3,000 Ukrainian citizens may be held in Russian deportation centres known as "migrant prisons", according to Aliona Lunova, Advocacy Director at the ZMINA Human Rights Centre, as reported by the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne Krym. The facilities also hold Kremlin political prisoners who have served sentences handed down on what are described as trumped-up charges.

Why Ukrainians remain in custody

After completing prison terms in Russia, Ukrainians continue to be detained because of the way migration law works: former political prisoners are treated as offenders and held. Many cannot renew their documents, since Ukrainian diplomatic missions have not operated in Russia since 2022.

Foreign nationals are formally kept in such centres pending deportation or expulsion, but in practice this does not apply to Ukrainians. Former political prisoner Kostiantyn Davydenko says an unofficial policy exists not to deport them. The stated justification is that the "special military operation" is ongoing and the border with Ukraine is closed.

What Ukraine is doing

Lunova says Ukraine has not yet found a way even to issue return certificates for imprisoned citizens or to appoint a protecting power to provide consular services in Russia. Exchanges are possible thanks to agreements between human rights commissioners, but no single Ukrainian body handles the release of civilians.

There is no precise data on how many Ukrainians are held in deportation centres. Davydenko believes the figure may grow in the coming years, as the terms of many of those unlawfully detained are ending.

The office of Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets says Ukraine is seeking mediation from Estonia and Lithuania to secure its citizens' return. Lubinets agrees a separate body is needed, pointing to the humanitarian operation in Oleshky as a demonstration. His office will now create a Centre for the Return of Civilians, modelled on a similar pilot project, the Child Rights Protection Centre.

One case

Valentyn Vyhivskyi, 43, is among those unable to go home for years. He was lured to Crimea in 2014 and accused of "espionage", then "sentenced" to 11 years in prison, after which he ended up in a "migrant prison". When he was captured, his son had not yet started school; now the son is a first-year university student. Vyhivskyi says what he wants most is to see his son again.