“They called the torture ‘drinking coffee.’ They used electric currents, old telephone wires, and applied shocks.”

Before the war came to the Donetsk region, Valerii led a normal life: he had a family and worked as a chief mechanic, chief power engineer, and mine foreman at the one the mines in Donetsk. Life seemed to begoing well for him, but in November 2016, everything turned upside down.  

 “I was arrested… captured by armed men wearing masks...They didn’t charge me with anything, they beat me, they split my lip with a knuckle duster, they hit me in the heart, beat me, handcuffed me, and sent me to Izolyatsia prison.” That day marked the beginning of almost two years of captivity and unimaginable suffering. 

The beginning of the turning point  

Physical violence was only the beginning of prolonged torture and assaults: “I saw sexual violence occurring against others. I was tortured with electric shocks, which according to international definitions also counts as sexual violence. I can show the injuries....which also can be considered sexual violence.” 

Valerii was forced to provide information and, according to his testimony, accused of crimes he did not commit: “they accused me of participating in an assassination attempt, although I did not participate. I was also accused of being pro-Ukrainian.” 

From 2016 to 2019, Valerii was imprisoned. During that period, he explains, the threat was constant, and women were also subjected to sexual violence. “Women were regularly used for sexual exploitation in the evenings. Prison administration forced them into prostitution. People were hungry, cold, and forced into sexual acts in exchange for food or drink.” 

Electric Torture and the “Coffee House” 

Valerii describes the electric torture in detail: “They used electric shocks on genitalia and legs. They inserted a catheter through the carotid artery to deliver shocks to the genitals. They conducted this procedure multiple times, up to four, causing severe internal and external injuries.” 

“Beatings were severe, but electric shocks were the worst. You could hear footsteps of guards approaching, then be tied, taken to the basement, and tortured.” 

Valerii remembers the basement called the “coffee house”. “They called the torture ‘drinking coffee.’ They used electric currents, old telephones wires, and applied shocks to arteries and genitals. The process was repeated multiple times”.

The invisible scars 

“After release in 2019, the recovery process began. I spent two months in Kyiv, in shock at normal life. I received a one-room apartment from an American philanthropic foundation in Kyiv”.  

“My physical recovery is ongoing.” 

Until now, he has not been formally recognized by the authorities: “I need a formal medical examination to document sexual violence and other tortures to pursue reparations from perpetrators. Authorities have delayed this procedure.” 
 
Ukraine’s Law on Legal and Social Protection of Survivors of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (Law No. 4067‑IX, 2024) formally recognizes survivors of sexual violence linked to the Russian aggression. The law provides for urgent reparations, such as financial support, medical care, psychological services, and legal aid. However, survivors are yet to experience the full benefits of this law in the form of compensation. Despite coming into effect in June 2025, a mechanism for provision of reparations to survivors has not yet been introduced, leaving survivors without critical means to take back their lives.  

From Survival to Demanding Justice and Recognition 

Valerii emphasizes the need for international accountability: “justice for perpetrators should be on an international level, similar to the Nuremberg Trials. I suffered severe physical injuries, including a ruptured heart muscle due to electric shocks. My legs swell, and I experience ongoing pain. I remember everything in detail.” 

His testimony underscores the need for recognition, rehabilitation, and ongoing support for survivors: “I went through the full cycle of torture and abuse while detained, and we were recognized as victims of torture in the investigation of the prison administration,” he said, but not as a survivor of sexual violence, despite the abuse he endured. 

The United Nations stands with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, offering not only medical care and psychosocial support but also a platform to share their stories. Through advocacy, documentation, and survivor-led programs, the UN helps create safe spaces for healing, restores a sense of agency and dignity, and calls for accountability for the crimes endured. 

In cases like Valerii’s, where justice has yet to be fully recognized, these efforts reveal both the gaps in the legal system and the urgent need for long-term support, showing that recovery is not just about surviving, it is about reclaiming life, hope, and humanity after unimaginable suffering.