Themes by tag: prisoners

On April 11, Media Center Ukraine will host a press conference titled “Always First: Families of captured and missing paratroopers demand honest dialogue with the state.” The participants will address the infrequency of prisoner exchanges involving captured paratroopers and discuss the need for effective communication between the families of the paratroopers and state authorities.

Participants:

– Tetiana Hoidyk, Coordinator of Families of Captured and Missing of the 95th Air Assault Brigade; 

–Yevhen Didkivskyi, former POW of the 95th Air Assault Brigade;

– Oleh Slobodianyk, representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War;

– Volodymyr Horin, Head of the Personnel Management Department of the Airborne Assault forces, Armed Forces of Ukraine; 

– Olena Bieliachkova, Coordinator for Groups of Families of Prisoners of War and Missing Soldiers, Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR). 

All in person.

Prior accreditation is required for attendance.

• prisoners
• Kyiv

On April 12, a peaceful rally “From captivity — home” dedicated to the release of Ukrainian civilian prisoners who are illegally held by russia will take place in Kyiv. The goal of the event is to draw public and international attention to the issue of illegal detention of Ukrainian civilians by russia and to demand their immediate release.

During the rally “From captivity — home” there will be:

• Speeches by representatives of the “Civilians in Captivity” organization, who will tell about life in captivity and the experiences of people illegally detained by russia; 
• performances by artists; 
• a joint prayer for the release of prisoners; 
• addresses by government officials; 
• a moment of silence for the fallen.

Background: According to official figures, russia is illegally holding thousands of Ukrainian civilians. They are doctors, teachers, volunteers, journalists, ordinary citizens who have become victims of russian aggression.

• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

To remind about the defenders of “Azovstal” and other servicemen still in enemy captivity, peaceful events are planned in 28 cities.

On April 5, events will be held in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Arbuzynka, Pavlysh village, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Pavlohrad and Obukhiv.

On April 6, activities are scheduled in Kyiv, Pivdenoukrainsk, Uman, Krolevec, Ovruch, Korosten, Pryluky, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Lozova, Berdychiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Dolynska, Kropyvnytskyi, Kovel, Shostka, Ostroh, Odesa, and Chernivtsi.

The events are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. Often those who have been liberated from captivity take part in the actions.

• prisoners

Halyna Hrytseniak, a medical doctor and Marine Corps veteran, spent 1 year, 7 months, and 12 days in captivity following the defense of Mariupol. Today, she volunteers with the Stalevi charitable organization and is an active member of the Stalevi veterans’ movement.

Her husband, Mykola Hrytseniak, is also a soldier—a Marine who fought in the defense of Mariupol. He endured four months in captivity before returning to military service as an instructor at the Marine Training Center.

Halyna recalls receiving her first marriage proposal on April 1, 2022, in a bunker at the Ilyich plant, where the hospital was located. Mykola, wounded with a gunshot to his leg, was lying there when he asked her to marry him.

More details on Halyna’s story are available here. 

Journalists can arrange an online interview with her by prior agreement.

• military
• prisoners
• women

Peaceful gatherings will take place in 24 cities to draw attention to the defenders of Azovstal and other military personnel still held in enemy captivity.

On March 22, rallies will be held in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Arbuzynka, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Svitlovodsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Pavlohrad, and Obukhiv.

On March 23, events are planned in Kyiv, Pivdennoukrainsk, Uman, Krolevets, Korop, Ovruch, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, Pryluky, Dolynske, Ostroh, Shostka, Odesa, Brovary, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, Korosten, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Lozova, Poltava, Berdychiv, and Kropyvnytskyi.

The rallies are organized by the families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison, with former captives often taking part in the events.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Peaceful rallies will be held in 24 cities to remind the world of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still held in enemy captivity.

On March 8, rallies will be held in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Arbuzynka, Vinnytsia, Irpin, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr, Pavlohrad and Obukhiv.

On March 9, events are planned in Kyiv, Pivdennoukrainsk, Uman, Krolevets, Korop, Ovruch, Kremenchuk, Cherkasy, Korosten, Uzhhorod, Kharkiv, Lozova, Poltava, Berdychiv, and Kropyvnytskyi.

The rallies are organized by families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison, with former POWs often attending to share their experiences.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host a press conference titled “Volodymyr Ananiev – Ukrainian Political Prisoner of Crimea: Illicit Actions of the Aggressor Country.”

On February 5, 2024, the russian Federal Security Service claimed to have foiled a “terrorist plot” against Sergey Aksyonov, the pro-russian head of Crimea’s government serving as “Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” However, the reality is that 75-year-old Volodymyr Ananiev, a well-known Ukrainian public figure from Crimea, along with two other Ukrainian nationals, was detained as part of a fabricated case.

Ananiev is currently facing transportation to russia under guard and is at risk of a lengthy prison sentence for refusing to cooperate with the russian “investigation.”

The press conference will address the details of Ananiev’s imprisonment, the conditions of his detention, and his deteriorating health.

Speakers:

– Anna Sviatnenko, Wife of kremlin Political Prisoner Volodymyr Ananiev;

– Andriy Shchekun, Representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea;

– Olha Skrypnyk, Board Chairwoman of the Crimean Human Rights Group. 

• prisoners
• Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host a press conference titled “Volodymyr Ananiev – Ukrainian Political Prisoner of Crimea: Illicit Actions of the Aggressor Country.”

On February 5, 2024, the russian Federal Security Service claimed to have foiled a “terrorist plot” against Sergey Aksyonov, the pro-russian head of Crimea’s government serving as “Chairman of the Council of Ministers.” However, the reality is that 75-year-old Volodymyr Ananiev, a well-known Ukrainian public figure from Crimea, along with two other Ukrainian nationals, was detained as part of a fabricated case.

Ananiev is currently facing transportation to russia under guard and is at risk of a lengthy prison sentence for refusing to cooperate with the russian “investigation.”

The press conference will address the details of Ananiev’s imprisonment, the conditions of his detention, and his deteriorating health.

Speakers:

– Anna Sviatnenko, Wife of kremlin Political Prisoner Volodymyr Ananiev;

– Andriy Shchekun, Representative of the Regional Council of Ukrainians of Crimea;

– Olha Skrypnyk, Board Chairwoman of the Crimean Human Rights Group. 

• prisoners
• Kyiv

On March 4, the Media Center Ukraine will host the presentation of the Amnesty International’s report: “Deafening Silence – Enforced Disappearances, Incommunicado Detention, and Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners by russia”.

Participants:

– Veronika Velch, Director of Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Olena Kozachenko, Research Project Assistant at Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Lera Burlakova, Media and Communications Officer at Amnesty International Ukraine;

– Nataliia Yepifanova, Head of the NGO Warriors Liberation;

– Maksym Kolesnikov, Veteran and Former Prisoner of War. 

Amnesty International’s report, “Deafening Silence – Enforced Disappearances, Incommunicado Detention, and Torture of Ukrainian Prisoners by russia,” draws on interviews with 104 individuals, including former prisoners of war, to document crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in russian captivity.

According to Amnesty International’s latest report, Ukrainian prisoners are deliberately kept in isolation, enabling ongoing torture and systematic human rights violations. Many detainees are officially classified as missing in action due to the complete absence of information regarding their whereabouts. russia’s consistent failure to confirm the detention of certain Ukrainian prisoners – despite credible evidence of their captivity – constitutes enforced disappearance under international law. Furthermore, the report indicates that russia has likely withheld information from the International Committee of the Red Cross regarding the status of hundreds, possibly thousands, of prisoners of war. russia’s treatment of both Ukrainian military personnel and civilians in detention flagrantly violates the full spectrum of international legal standards.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On February 26, 2022, Vasyl Vyrozub, rector of the Holy Trinity Church of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in Odesa, was taken prisoner by russian forces. He was part of a mission to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island to recover the bodies of border guards who were initially presumed dead.

The Ukrainian vessel transporting Vasyl was seized by the russian cruiser Moskva, and he, along with two other military chaplains and a doctor, was captured. Vasyl spent 70 days in russian captivity, enduring torture. His captors subjected him and his fellow prisoners to relentless interrogations, struggling to comprehend why they had come to retrieve the fallen soldiers. The detainees were forced to sing the aggressor country’s anthem, kneel, and endure solitary confinement.

After his release, Vasyl was honored with the Memory of the Nation Award by Post Bellum, a Czech nonprofit dedicated to preserving the testimonies of war veterans and political prisoners.

Vasyl Vyrozub is available for interviews in Odesa, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

Background: Fighting for Snake Island began on February 24, 2022, when russian forces seized the territory. Initially, reports stated that all 13 Ukrainian border guards defending the island had been killed. Later, Ukraine’s Border Guard Service indicated that the defenders might have been taken prisoner. On July 4, 2022, Snake Island returned to Ukrainian control.

• casualties
• prisoners
• religion
• russian crimes
• Odesa