Hundreds were detained, 226 went missing from Kherson in Ukraine: US Report

Researchers from Yale University have found in a report sponsored by the USState Department that hundreds of people were jailed or went missing in the Kherson region of Ukraine this year while it was under Russian control and that many may have been tortured, reported Reuters.

Despite its disgusting and desperate methods, Russia "must halt these operations and withdraw its forces to end a needless war that it cannot and will not win – no matter how despicable and desperate its tactics," the State Department stated in a statement regarding the findings.

The studydetails the detentions and disappearances of 226 persons in Kherson between March and October, of whom a quarter are said to have been tortured and five of whom passed away while being held or shortly after.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Kherson, located in an enclave on the west bank of the Dnipro River, is the sole regional capital Ukraine has retaken since the invasion in February, when Russia withdrew its forces from there last week.

Also Read:PETA says King Charles III bans foie gras at all royal residences

The Conflict Observatory, a State Department-funded initiative that was started in May to gather and examine proof of war crimes and other potential atrocities committed by Russiain Ukraine, is a partnership between the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health, which produced the report, and other organisations.

Russia denies that its soldiers have carried out atrocities or targeted people.

(with inputs from agencies)