Russians capture civilians in Vovchansk, some manage to escape – video

In the Vovchansk community in the Kharkiv Oblast, during the offensive, Russian soldiers captured local residents and are holding some of them in a basement, as reported by the press service of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office.

According to the investigation, the locals were taken to the basement on May 11. Some of them managed to escape on May 13 and reached volunteers.

The victims said that while they were in the captivity of Russian soldiers, they heard them talking about "the need to carry out executions".

People were also forced to provide medical care to the occupiers, the prosecutor's office said.

Civilians who managed to escape from Russian soldiers are now safe.

The prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war.

One of the victims suggested in a comment to Suspilne that the Russians released some civilians because they recognized her – she bandaged the legs of the wounded occupiers.

"They did not let me out of the basement. And this morning a soldier came in and said, 'Let's go out the way we came in.' And they took the wounded [Russian military], and at that moment we ran and ran and ran away," said a man who was in the basement with other civilians.

He also said that the prisoners were not beaten or tortured. According to him, the victims heard the occupiers talking about executions, but it was not clear who they were talking about.