Lankan students in Ukraine: Horrific details revealed. Now safe in rehab center

COLOMBO (News 1st) - A Ukrainian journalist has released horrific details about the seven Sri Lankans who were allegedly captured and tortured by Russian soldiers in the

 Kharkiv region near the Russian border where there has been intense fighting for months. The seven are currently safe in a Ukrainian rehabilitation center.

The six men and one woman were beaten, two had their nails torn off, and all were forced to work cleaning up a house occupied by Russian soldiers, Sergey Bolvinov, Chief of the Investigative Department of Kharkiv Region Police had told Maria Romanenko, a Ukrainian journalist reporting from the UK. The Russian soldiers had also tried to extort money from the Sri Lankans. The Kharkiv police have opened an investigation for violation of the laws and customs of war.

The seven - some of them students, the others had come for work - aged 20-40, arrived in Ukraine around 3 weeks before the all-out invasion last March and rented a house in Kupiansk, a town that was captured by Russian forces and occupied until it was retaken by the Ukrainian army a few days ago. They were hiding in their house for some time until they decided to try and flee into Kharkiv, she tweeted.

However, they were stopped at the first Russian checkpoint that they tried to cross. The Russians blindfolded them and took them to the nearby town of Vovchansk, which was also occupied by Russian forces until a few days ago, she added.

"After the areas were liberated by Ukraine, the 7 Sri Lankans tried to walk to Kharkiv again. When they found a hotel on their way, the security guard there took them in, looked after them, and called the police. They’re now safe and the police are investigating their case." the police chief added.

The names of the seven have not yet been made available by authorities. News First has reached out to the Russian and Ukrainian authorities about the students' story, but no details have been received up to now. Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said it is inquiring into the matter. News First has not been able to independently corroborate the Ukrainian journalist's story.