The SBU has charged Russian prison medic Ilya Sorokin, known by the moniker “Dr. Evil,” an employee of a Russian penitentiary system, in absentia.
Ukraine has brought charges of war crimes in absentia against “Dr. Evil,” the alleged tormentor and Russian prison physician brought to light by OCCRP and RFE/RL Schemes.
On Tuesday, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), in collaboration with the Office of the Prosecutor General, leveled charges in absentia against Ilya Sorokin—the Russian prison medic given the nickname “Dr. Evil” by former inmates—for “inhumane treatment of prisoners of war.” Authorities have indicated that the investigation, conducted without Sorokin’s presence, was initiated because he is either concealing his location or declining to participate in the investigation or legal proceedings.
According to information released by authorities, Sorokin, who worked as a paramedic at Medical Unit No. 10 of Penal Colony No. 10 in Russia, “engaged in cruel and unusual treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war” during the delivery of medical services. They claim that his actions encompassed the utilization, or threat thereof, of both physical and psychological abuse directed towards Ukrainian military personnel who were considered prisoners of war and were being detained in the colony “on account of their military service… and their efforts to repel armed aggression against Ukraine.”
Andriy Yakovlev, a lawyer associated with the Regional Center for Human Rights, pointed out that an investigation carried out in absentia enables authorities to document evidence and establish the details of the case, irrespective of whether the suspect is apprehended. It unfolds in the absence of the accused, but includes a state-appointed legal representative “who is tasked with safeguarding their interests,” he stated. Should the matter proceed to trial and a judgment is reached, that ruling can be submitted to foreign entities for enforcement. Yakovlev emphasized that this mechanism empowers Ukraine to probe potential war crimes “without waiting for the conclusion of the conflict.”
Earlier in the year, journalists from Radio Liberty's “Schemes” program conducted interviews with scores of former Ukrainian prisoners of war who had returned from Mordovia's Penal Colony No. 10. They recounted instances of a medic who had subjected them to beatings and withheld medical assistance, referring to him as “Dr. Evil.” “Schemes” identified him as Sorokin, a 35-year-old father of two. During a brief exchange with journalists, he refuted all accusations.
Read more: The State Duma declared that Telegram will not face a ban owing to its collaboration with Russian law enforcement bodies.
Marine Pavel Afisov, who endured 614 days within Colony No. 10 and was among the first to recognize Sorokin as “Dr. Evil,” expressed that the charge represents a move toward ensuring he faces justice. “Sorokin’s persistent acts of mental and physical maltreatment against every prisoner of war should not afford him the privilege of a life free from consequence and secure,” he asserted. Afisov further mentioned his intention to closely follow the proceedings and expressed his conviction that “wrongdoers such as him, and others of his ilk, will soon be held accountable.”
Alexander Savov, another former prisoner of war who aided journalists in identifying “Dr. Evil,” came back from Russian captivity suffering from tuberculosis and bearing scars resulting from electroshock treatments, which he attributed to Sorokin. He passed away on November 16, 2025.
As of December 2, journalists found themselves unable to establish contact with Sorokin through his Telegram account, which appeared to have been removed. The last instance of communication between journalists and Sorokin occurred in October—subsequent to the imposition of sanctions by the European Union on him for alleged breaches of the Geneva Conventions and backing of Russia's military operations—his messages were marked as read, yet he offered no reply.
