Themes by tag: prisoners

Founded by Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, the Mriia Charitable Foundation invites to the public start of its activities, which will take place on February 2 in Kyiv. The team of the Foundation will be happy to meet and communicate with the media in person. The event will be held in a concert form.

The Mriia Foundation helps families of the prisoners of war and civilian prisoners, provides financial, legal and psychological support. Recently, the Foundation team has visited 200 families of prisoners with Christmas gifts and hugged every child waiting for their father from a russian prison.

For reference: Yuliia “Taira” Paievska is a Ukrainian military, paramedic and volunteer, the commander of the “Taira’s Angels” unit. Since 2014, as a paramedic, she took part in the Revolution of Dignity and the war in the east of Ukraine. On March 16, 2022, during the siege of Mariupol city, she was captured by russians and released on June 17, 2022.

• prisoners
• volunteers

Alina Panina, a border guard dog handler, was released from russian captivity during an exchange on October 17. Before the start of the all-out war, Alina worked in Mariupol’s trading port, and she was captured during the defense of Azovstal. The woman has already returned to the service, now — on the Ukrainian-Polish border. Her husband, also a border guard, was captured by the russians. The russians did not return the two dogs that were with Alina at Azovstal. Currently, Alina works with a new four-legged partner, a spaniel that has been given to her by friends.

• prisoners
• women

Thousands of Ukrainian families live in their own personal hell and have no information about the fate of their relatives who came to the defense of Ukraine and ended up in hands of the enemy or went missing. Therefore, relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war continue to fight to return their loved ones home. Among those who strive for soldiers’ release from captivity at all cost: Iryna Latysh, wife of a prisoner of war, representative of the 95th Air Assault Brigade; Svitlana Bohdanenko, wife of a prisoner of war, representative of military medics of Mariupol; Natalia Kravtsova, mother of a prisoner of war; Nataliia Lukovska, wife of a prisoner of war; Illia Honchar, brother of a civilian prisoner; and Nora Storozhuk, wife of a prisoner of war.

• Kyiv
• military
• prisoners

On December 24, at 2 PM, relatives of captured AZOV fighters will gather on Sofia Square in Kyiv to remind the world of those who are still held in russian captivity. The families of the prisoners call on the governments of the world and international organizations to redouble their efforts to get their relatives out of the clutches of the aggressor.

For reference: “Azovstal” Iron and Steel Works became a stronghold during the defense of Mariupol. On May 20, 2,500 Ukrainian soldiers left the territory of the plant and were immediately captured by the occupiers. Some of them were released within several exchanges. But most of the defenders of Azovstal, in particular, those from the AZOV regiment, remain imprisoned.

• Kyiv
• military
• prisoners

Oksana Dubyk from Mariupol found refuge in Lviv after her hometown was captured by the russians. The woman lives in a modular town and works in a flower shop, which she opened together with two other residents of Mariupol. In Lviv, Oksana is waiting for her husband, a 59-year-old Azovstal defender Ihor Dubyk. Ihor was captured by the russians on May 17. He was also in “Olenivka” penitentiary. On December 1, Ihor was released during the exchange of prisoners. The man is currently undergoing rehabilitation and awaiting surgery. Oksana and her children have already been able to meet him in the city where he is undergoing treatment.

• casualties
• Lviv
• prisoners
• women

Ukrainian football referee Dmytro Kubryak, who had been held captive by the russians for 5 months, gave his first interview after returning home. Dmytro, in addition to working as a football referee, was a medic, and was captured in Mariupol, together with Azovstal defenders. He spent 5 months in the colony in Olenivka on the temporarily occupied territory. His story about the horrors of captivity and emotions upon returning home was published on the official website of the Ukrainian Association of Football.

• prisoners
• russian crimes