Media Center Ukraine Producer Department

Tetiana Marina, the wife of Spanish citizen Mariano García Calatayud, who was abducted in Kherson, has been seeking her husband’s release from russian captivity for four years.

Mariano is a well-known volunteer who has been living in Ukraine since 2014. On March 19, 2022, he was abducted by russian security forces in occupied Kherson. It later became known that he was held in occupied Crimea, in particular at Simferopol Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 2, in a closed section for so-called political prisoners. It is also known that he suffered a heart attack while in captivity.

russia denies the abduction of the Spanish volunteer and conceals information about his place of detention. Spain has also attempted to facilitate an exchange. On February 2, 2026, Mariano turned 78 years old.

By prior arrangement, journalists may speak with Tetiana online.

For reference: Kherson was occupied by russian forces at the beginning of the full-scale invasion (March 1, 2022). The Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the city from russian troops on November 11, 2022. The occupiers continue to regularly shell the city.

• prisoners
• russian crimes
• volunteers

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

A servicemember with the call sign “Student” is mastering his third specialty in the military. He began his service in an infantry unit, but was soon offered to become a UAV operator. He went on to operate reconnaissance drones and carry out ammunition drops on enemy positions.

During one of the combat operations, “Student” sustained severe injuries as a result of a strike by an enemy drone. After evacuation, treatment, and rehabilitation, he had the option to leave the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as he was no longer able to perform combat tasks. However, “Student” wanted to return to service and to his comrades. As a result, his commander offered him the opportunity to join a reconnaissance platoon, where he detects enemy UAVs and relays information so they can be neutralized in time.

Journalists may speak with “Student” online by prior arrangement and with approval from the press officer.

• casualties
• military

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.

To remind the public of the defenders of Azovstal and other servicemembers who remain in enemy captivity, peaceful rallies are planned in 30 cities.

On February 7, rallies will take place in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Zaporizhzhia, Kovel, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Shpola, Volochysk, Poltava, Pavlohrad, and Lviv.

On February 8, events are scheduled in Kyiv, Krolevets, Pivdennoukrainsk, Mykolaiv, Korop, Obukhiv, Ovruch, Korosten, Dolynska, Cherkasy, Kremenchuk, Lozova, Uzhhorod, Berdychiv, Kropyvnytskyi, Rivne, Chernivtsi, and Odesa.

The events are organized by families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Ukrainians who have been released from captivity also often join the rallies.

• prisoners
• russian crimes

If you are interested in this topic, you can obtain the subjects’ contacts from the Producer Department of Media Center Ukraine.