Mariana Checheliuk worked as an investigator in the local police in Mariupol during the Russian invasion.
She and her sister sought refuge at the Azovstal steel plant and attempted to evacuate through a humanitarian corridor for civilians.
However, they were denied evacuation when the Russians learned of Checheliuk’s profession, and they were separated.
Checheliuk was instead detained in various detention centers and prisons, where she reportedly experienced violence and food shortages.
She developed health issues such as chronic bronchitis, hair loss, and a weakened immune system.
Her mother claims the Russians tried to persuade her to defect to the Russian side, but she refused.
Checheliuk was eventually released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine and reunited with her family in Ukraine.
The exact number of prisoners taken by Russia and Ukraine during the war is not publicly known, but a UN investigative commission has found evidence of Ukrainian soldiers being tortured in Russian captivity.