As we entered this prisoner of war facility in the west of the country, Russian missiles were once again taunting Ukraine from the sky.
Hundreds of captured Russian soldiers, conscripts and mercenaries are housed in these picturesque buildings – one of 50 locations around Ukraine where they are held.
Ukrainian air defenses could be heard in the distance as we were ushered into a basement, where dozens of prisoners fleeing the Russian invasion were met by sight.
Prisoner exchanges have become a regular feature of the war, and it is vital for Kiev that they continue. Ukraine said it has so far secured the release of 1,762 men and women in prisoner exchanges this month. These are highly sensitive operations, often taking months to organize.
Under the Geneva Conventions, prisoners of war are not to be paraded or brought to the public.
We were given permission to choose who we contacted and asked for their consent. But wherever we went, guards were with us and there was no possibility of these people talking freely.
Many people hid their faces to further protect their identities.
Last November, a UN human rights report documented abuses by both sides, based on interviews with detainees who spoke of torture and ill-treatment.
Here the guards seemed keen to show that they were treating the prisoners well.
One of the fighters said he was working for a mercenary group. He was brought to the facility three days ago, after being taken prisoner near the eastern town of Soledar, which was captured by Russian forces last month.
A handful looked at him disapprovingly. We met with a detainee who said he was captured on December 29 in the Luhansk region.
“I hope that I will be transferred and I will not have to go back to the army,” he said.
“If you have no choice?” I asked.
He paused for a second: “I have some ideas. I might come back with a voluntary surrender.”
Leaving the shelter, it was clear that half of the prisoners had been injured.
Some had bandages on their hands or feet. Others will move with a heavy limp.
A young man became emotional as he recounted how he lost his leg in a grenade blast.
