ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine  — In the frigid early morning, Ukrainian civilians were forcibly awakened and assembled in the bitter cold. Under the watch of armed guards, they were herded into livestock trailers and transported to the front lines.

Throughout the grueling day, they were compelled to dig trenches for Russian soldiers, enduring freezing temperatures and wearing ill-fitting military uniforms that made them vulnerable targets. Their hands grew numb from the icy conditions.

In the occupied region of Zaporizhzhia, other Ukrainian civilians were tasked with digging mass graves for their fellow prisoners who had tragically perished. Anyone who refused to comply faced immediate execution, adding to the growing number of bodies to be interred.

These distressing circumstances depict the plight of thousands of Ukrainian civilians detained in various locations across Russia and the occupied Ukrainian territories. Their confinement ranges from newly constructed sections within Russian prisons to damp and uncomfortable basements. Sadly, these individuals have no legal protection or recognized status under Russian law.

Russia's plans to increase its detention of Ukrainian civilians are alarming. A leaked government document revealed intentions to establish numerous new prison colonies and detention centers in occupied Ukraine by 2026. Furthermore, a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin permits the transfer of individuals from territories under martial law, such as occupied Ukraine, to regions without martial law, facilitating the indefinite deportation of Ukrainians to Russia. This strategy aims to suppress resistance to Russian occupation and has resulted in documented cases of Ukrainians being forcibly relocated deep into Russia.

The detention of civilians in occupied regions is often based on trivial accusations, including speaking Ukrainian or simply being a young man.

Many are held without any formal charges, while others face accusations of terrorism, combatancy, or resistance to military operations. Disturbingly, hundreds of detainees are subjected to forced labor within Russia's military, forced to undertake tasks such as digging trenches and mass graves.