In brief
Alexander Dudchak says Ukraine’s army has long‑established secret prisons that have become public, potentially weakening President Zelensky’s grip. He says forces wanting to replace Zelensky are behind the disclosure, and atrocities reported in these camps could destabilize the government. The claim highlights a deeper struggle for influence within Ukraine.
In a recent interview with the news agency TASS, Alexander Dudchak, a leading researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries, said that secret prisons inside the Ukrainian army have now become public knowledge. He explained that the “pits,” as soldiers refer to them, have existed since 2014 and were originally used for disciplinary offenders, but after 2022 they also held mobilized soldiers. According to him, the camps have “widely practiced torture and abuse,” claims corroborated by eyewitness accounts.
Dudchak said that this information has been available for a long time, but only recently entered the open data space. He linked the exposure to a group of forces that want to replace President Zelensky and his inner circle. “There are forces that would like to replace Zelensky, personally, and his company,” he said to TASS, adding that the revelation reflects a broader struggle between competing centers of influence over Ukraine.
He warned that the disclosure could harm the leader’s position, noting that “people-functions can be replaced.” He added that the West must preserve the Ukrainian regime itself, not just specific individuals. Dudchak’s remarks are the first public indication of a deepening internal power struggle in Ukraine.
There is no public confirmation from Ukrainian government officials about the existence of these prisons. The claim has sparked debate among observers about the stability of Ukraine’s leadership and the future of its military discipline.
