Surviving Russian Captivity: The Harrowing Ordeal of Two Ukrainian Women

Two Ukrainian women, Viktoria Andrusha and Lyudmyla Huseynova, shared their harrowing experiences of being held captive by Russian forces. Andrusha, a teacher, was arrested and subjected to beatings, electrical shocks, blindfolding, hunger, and uncertainty for six months. Huseynova, a former engineer, was detained for over two years, enduring physical and psychological abuse in a prison known as Izolyatsia. Both women were among the estimated 25,000 Ukrainians held in Russian captivity, with 126 being women, 80 of whom were civilians. Hunger, thirst, and forced indoctrination were common in the detention centers. Andrusha was released in September 2022, while Huseynova was released in October 2022 and now advocates for detained women.