Themes by tag: prisoners

In January 2015, during fierce fighting near the Donetsk airport, a serviceman of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Bohdan Pantiushenko, was taken prisoner by the russians. It was only five years later that Bohdan was finally returned home. He was released from captivity in an exchange on December 29, 2019. A year ago, Bohdan, together with his wife Viktoriia, started his own business, namely a family cafe in Kyiv region. It was one of the couple’s longtime dreams. The couple is raising a small son, so they have created a special area for children in their establishment, as well as a children’s menu.

At first, Bohdan planned to invest only his own funds, but he learned about the support program for veterans from the Ukrainian Veterans Foundation. Thus, the serviceman submitted an application and received almost UAH 3 million to realize his project. Now the doors of the establishment are open to everyone who wants to have a delicious meal.

By prior arrangement, the couple is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person in Kyiv region.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

How should journalists and communicators approach conversations with military personnel and former prisoners of war without causing harm? What ethical considerations should guide the media’s portrayal of the military? These pressing questions will be at the forefront of a discussion led by Valeriia “Nava” Subotina, a reserve officer, former prisoner of war, and defender of Mariupol. Subotina, who now serves as the director of the YOUkraine hub for ex-prisoners of war, will share her expertise in an upcoming meeting with members of the media.

The session aims to emphasize the importance of ethical communication, highlighting how responsible interactions can aid military personnel and former POWs in transitioning back to civilian life and overcoming psychological trauma.

Pre-registration is required, with a minimum donation of 300 UAH for participation. The event will be held both in person and online via Google Meet. All funds raised will be directed to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

On August 7, a peaceful rally titled “russia Kills in Captivity” will take place in Kyiv. 

The event seeks to remind the public of the tragic reality that russia is responsible for the deaths of both civilians and prisoners of war from Ukraine. 

Over the past two and a half years, more than 160 bodies of Ukrainian defenders, showing signs of torture, have been returned from captivity.

The Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War has been invited to participate in the event.

For reference: The march is organized by the Association “Strength of the Marine Corps,” the NGO “Faithful Always 2022,” the NGO “Union of Prisoner of War Families of the 501,” and the NGO “Condemned but not Forgotten.”

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Aiden Aslin, originally from the UK, never served in the British military. His journey into conflict began in 2015, when, at 21, he traveled to Syria and spent a year and a half there. 

His interest in Ukraine led him to follow events in the East, and in 2018, he enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the 137th Marine Battalion of the 35th Brigade. He later transferred to the 1st Battalion of the 36th Marine Brigade, where he served for nearly four years. Aslin found himself in Mariupol during the full-scale invasion, where his unit was encircled for over a month. Captured by russian forces, he endured six months in captivity, during which he faced allegations of mercenarism, terrorism, and attempting to overthrow Donetsk’s “constitutional order,” leading to a death sentence. Subjected to torture, he despaired of ever returning home.

In September 2022, Aslin was released in a prisoner swap. After receiving psychological support in the UK, he has returned to Ukraine and now serves with the International Legion of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. 

Aslin is available for interviews by prior arrangement, both online and in person.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes

Tamara Koriahina and her husband, Serhii Mykhailenko, both hail from Mariupol. In 2019, Serhii enlisted in the Azov unit, which has since been absorbed into Ukraine’s National Guard.

When the full-scale invasion began, Serhii, who had been training in the Lviv region, returned to Mariupol to defend their home. Meanwhile, Tamara endured the relentless russian shelling, struggling to survive in the besieged city.

On March 18, 2022, Tamara managed to escape. She later discovered that, in early April, Serhii had suffered a shrapnel wound. Tragically, he was unable to undergo surgery due to a shortage of medical supplies.

Tamara last heard from her husband on May 16, 2022: he informed her that he had received orders to surrender and added, “See you soon, get ready for the wedding.” Tamara says this message has sustained her for the past three years. During this period, she has not received any letters from him and has only seen him in russian propaganda videos. She is convinced that her husband is being tortured in the Polar Wolf penal colony in Siberia, where he is currently held. Before being transferred there, Serhii underwent an illegal trial in occupied Donetsk and was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In June 2024, Tamara joined a delegation of POWs’ wives who appealed to the Pope for assistance in securing the release of Ukrainians unlawfully detained in russia. 

Tamara Koriahina resides in Dnipro. Serhii Mykhailenkos’s wife is willing to speak with journalists, both online and offline, by prior arrangement.

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• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Dnipro

On July 28, Kyiv will unveil the exhibition “OLENIVKA: The Quintessence of Cruelty,” marking the second anniversary of the Olenivka terrorist attack. This event, organized in collaboration with the National Museum of the Revolution of Dignity, aims to highlight the suffering endured by Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The exhibition’s opening coincides with an action organized by the Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families, which has been holding weekly demonstrations across Ukrainian cities. Their posters, featuring slogans such as “They saved us, now we have to save them” and “Fight for them as they fought for us,” call for support for prisoners of war and missing persons under the #FREEAZOVSTALDEFENDERS campaign.

Journalists planning to attend the exhibition must register in advance.

Additionally, on the same day, Kyiv will host a requiem event titled “Olenivka – pain that will never go away.”

For context: The attack occurred on the night of July 29, 2022, when the russian federation targeted a barracks at the Olenivka penal colony, resulting in the deaths of at least 50 Azovstal defenders and injuring over a hundred.

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• dead
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

For Hennadii Azzheurov, the war began back in 2014, when russia occupied Crimea and attacked Ukraine in the East. That’s when the man’s native village of Hranitne (Donetsk region) turned into a battlefield. Hennadii had worked in Mariupol’s patrol police for about 30 years. In February 2022, he planned to retire from service. However, on the evening of February 23, heavy shelling began: the russians surrounded Hranitne. A few days later, armed enemy soldiers came to Hennadii’s house and arrested the man without any explanation.

Later, the former policeman, along with other Ukrainian civilian and military prisoners, ended up in temporarily occupied Donetsk. There, according to Hennadii, the prisoners were interrogated and tortured by being deprived of food and water. A few months later, the man ended up in a colony in occupied Olenivka in Donetsk region, where he stayed for another 40 days. After that, the occupiers released Hennadii without explaining why they had detained him. He managed to get to Ukraine-controlled territory on his own.

The 55-year-old man had no idea what he would do after captivity. Due to age and health, he couldn’t return to police work. In Odesa, he turned to Heart of Azovstal NGO, where he was offered to master HR management in the IT industry for free. After half a year of study, Hennadii started working as a career mentor at the Heart of Azovstal. Currently, he helps the military defenders of Mariupol to choose a direction for training and retraining, and also provides them with comprehensive support in employment.

For reference: Hennadii Azzheurov is in Odesa. The man is ready to communicate with journalists, both online and in person, by prior arrangement.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Odesa

Peaceful gatherings are planned in at least 16 Ukrainian cities to highlight the plight of Azovstal defenders and other military personnel still in enemy captivity. 

On July 13, rallies will occur in Okhtyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Pavlohrad, and Irpin. 

The following day, July 14, demonstrations are scheduled in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kremenchuk, Krolevets, Ovruch, Kropyvnytskyi, Trostianets, Kryvyi Rih, and Chernivtsi. 

These events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv
• Odesa

Artem Hondiul has held numerous roles, including fire rescuer and security guard for merchant ships against Somali pirates in the Gulf of Guinea and Oman. Eventually, he joined the National Guard and later transferred to the Azov Regiment, now part of the National Guard of Ukraine’s Azov Brigade. Artem and his wife Anastasiia moved to Mariupol.

On February 23, 2022, Artem was on duty and convinced Anastasiia to leave Mariupol, despite her reluctance. She managed to escape in late February.

Anastasiia later discovered that Artem was at “Zaliziaka” (“Piece of Iron”), an improvised hospital at the Azovstal plant, suffering from a shrapnel injury to his pelvis. In May 2022, under orders from higher command, Artem and his comrades entered honorable captivity. On the night of July 29, 2022, Artem was seriously injured in the Olenivka massacre. 

Following the explosion in the colony’s barracks, Anastasiia saw her husband several times in videos released by the russians. Since September 2022, she has had no news of Artem’s whereabouts or condition.

In May 2023, Anastasiia and the relatives of other Olenivka victims traveled to Geneva to meet with representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. It was only after this visit, 16 months into Artem’s captivity, that Russia officially confirmed his status as a prisoner of war.

Journalists can learn more and speak with Anastasiia in Kryvyi Rih, with online communication also available.

For reference: On the night of July 29, 2022, russia carried out a terrorist attack by detonating a barracks in the Olenivka penal colony, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were detained. At least 50 Azovstal defenders were killed, and over 100 were injured.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women

Svitlana Solonska worked as a kindergarten teacher in Zaporizhia region. Her husband, Vladyslav, was a teacher by education. At one time, he graduated from the Zaporizhia Police School. After the Revolution of Dignity, he joined the ranks of the Azov volunteer formation. Vladyslav was very happy when the unit later became part of the National Guard of Ukraine (now it is the Azov Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine). Having started as a driver, Vladyslav was promoted to the position of company commander, and then to the position of logistics officer.

On February 22, 2022, Vladyslav came home and told his wife that they were being sent to Mariupol. It was the last time Svitlana saw her husband.

Svitlana and her 13-year-old daughter were in Zaporizhia region when the full-scale invasion began. During the first days, their settlement was occupied by the russians. The woman saw enemy tanks driving through her village in the direction of Mariupol. Later, her husband called and said that Svitlana and her daughter needed to leave urgently, as the invaders would come to their home. On March 19, they were able to leave for Ukraine-controlled territory.

Vladyslav was at the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. Despite the blockade of the city and constant shelling, he was assigned the task of delivering products and supporting the rear. He delivered food and water to the field hospital under the shelling. A “Starlink” allowed him to keep in touch with his wife.

In May 2022, Vladyslav together with other defenders followed the order of the high command and surrendered. On the night of July 29, 2022, Vladyslav was injured during an explosion in the barracks in Olenivka, he did not receive proper medical care. There was no information about his condition for a long time. Later, Svitlana found out that her husband had died: they could find him only by DNA matching.

Journalists are welcome to learn more and talk with Svitlana in Kyiv.

For reference: On the night of July 29, 2022, the russian federation committed a terrorist attack, setting off an explosion in the barracks of the penal colony in Olenivka, which housed Ukrainian prisoners of war. At least 50 defenders of Azovstal were killed in the attack.

• dead
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Kyiv