Russian General Linked to Torture and Deaths in Donbas Killed

In a twist of fate, Major-General Pavel Klimenko, a Russian commander with a dark track record of human rights abuses, has been reported killed in Ukraine. The independent Russian publication, IStories, first noticed the announcement of Klimenko's death in a pro-war group on the VKontakte social network. The post, later removed amid a flood of negative reactions, was transiently replaced by another similar message, this time with no option for public comment.

Major-General Pavel Klimenko, infamous for his leadership of the 5th Donetsk Motorized Rifle Brigade, garnered notoriety as the overseer of alleged torture sites within the Donbas region. His brigade, which has roots as the Oplot battalion in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, carries the name of Alexander Zakharchenko. Klimenko’s service record extends back to his time in occupied Crimea before his direct involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

His promotion to the rank of major general in May 2024 came just as disturbing reports emerged involving his brigade's soldiers in the torture and killing of a U.S. citizen, Russell Bentley. This event drew international condemnation, painting a grim picture of the human rights situation in the occupied territories. Bentley, a former war participant and a stringer for Russia Today, met his end within the confines of the abandoned Petrovska Mine in Donetsk. Efforts to conceal his murder led to his body being destroyed.

But Bentley's case was not an isolated incident. Klimenko’s brigade is similarly implicated in the death of Vladimir Frolov, a music teacher coerced into military service despite a severe disability. The official records misleadingly claimed Frolov perished during an assault, but evidence pointed towards brutal torture as the cause of his death.

August reports from Astra laid bare yet another layer of Klimenko’s alleged misdeeds. The publication exposed how commanders under his authority would purportedly resort to torture tactics to compel soldiers into futile and deadly assaults, all while lining their pockets from the ongoing war. Credible sources, including servicemen from within Klimenko's ranks, revealed the existence of several torture sites in Donetsk's Petrovsky district. These locales were described chillingly as akin to a "concentration camp" where Russian soldiers faced sadistic torment at the hands of their compatriots.

Accounts attest to gruesome practices: soldiers hung, stabbed, subjected to facial mutilations, electrocution, and sometimes, outright murder. This reign of terror was reportedly meted out to punish insubordination, extort money, or confiscate the personal possessions of those under Klimenko's command.

The death of Major-General Pavel Klimenko comes as a significant development, signaling potential vulnerabilities within the Russian command structure. It also serves as a grim reminder of the war's human cost and the enduring scars left by the atrocities committed.