Oleksandr Savov survived months in Russian captivity and returned home to Ukraine in a prisoner exchange, only to die weeks later from complications his family attributes directly to the conditions of his imprisonment. "My father survived Russian captivity, but his heart gave out," his daughter told United24 Media.

Savov's death illustrates the lasting toll of captivity even after physical liberation. Medical examinations following his exchange revealed severe malnutrition, untreated injuries, and cardiovascular damage doctors linked to prolonged stress, inadequate medical care, and the physical conditions of Russian detention facilities. Despite medical treatment after his return, the damage proved irreversible.

"He came home, but he wasn't the same man," Savov's daughter explained. "His body had been through too much. The doctors did everything they could, but some damage can't be undone."

Savov's case is not isolated. Ukrainian medical facilities treating returned POWs report widespread health complications including malnutrition, dental damage from inadequate hygiene, psychological trauma, and chronic conditions that developed or worsened during captivity. The long-term health consequences extend the human cost of the war well beyond the immediate violence of the battlefield.

International human rights organizations have documented systematic mistreatment of Ukrainian POWs in Russian custody, including inadequate food and medical care, torture, and conditions that violate the Geneva Conventions. Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War compiles evidence of these violations for potential future prosecution.

The emotional impact on families compounds the medical toll. Loved ones who endured months of uncertainty about captured soldiers' fates, then celebrated their return in prisoner exchanges, now face renewed grief as returned POWs struggle with health conditions stemming from their captivity. For some families, the relief of reunion has been replaced by the anguish of watching recovered loved ones succumb to captivity's delayed consequences.

Savov's daughter said.