The European Union has sanctioned Ilya Sorokin, a Russian prison medic infamously nicknamed “Dr. Evil” by Ukrainian prisoners of war, following revelations that he systematically tortured detainees under his care. The move comes after an investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) “Schemes” program, which exposed Sorokin’s acts of brutality and denial of medical treatment in Russia’s prison system.

Sorokin’s name appears in the EU’s latest sanctions package, adopted Thursday, which also includes a sweeping ban on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports. His inclusion marks a rare case in which an individual doctor has been targeted for direct participation in wartime abuses-a signal, according to European officials, that the bloc intends to hold not only political and military leaders accountable but also those who enable or carry out war crimes at ground level.

According to the OCCRP’s investigation published in July, Sorokin served as a prison medic at Penal Colony No. 10 in Mordovia, one of Russia’s most notorious detention facilities. There, he was responsible for the medical care of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) captured during Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Instead of fulfilling his Hippocratic duty to heal, Sorokin reportedly weaponized his position to inflict suffering. Multiple prisoners described being denied medical attention for days or weeks, even after severe beatings, while others said Sorokin personally participated in........

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