Themes by tag: prisoners

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.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

Paramedic Julia Paevska (Taira) is opening “Mria” (Dream) charity fund, which will take care of families of prisoners of war and civilian captives. According to her, there are about 10,000 such families in Ukraine. Julia Paevska plans to sign a memorandum with the center for assistance to prisoners and with other institutions and organizations that, in cooperation with government agencies, help to locate prisoners and assist with obtaining statuses and receiving payouts.

For reference: Julia Paevska (Taira) is a Ukrainian military servicewoman, paramedic and volunteer, commander of “Taira’s Angels” unit. Since 2014, as a paramedic, she has participated in the Revolution of Dignity and the war in the eastern part of Ukraine. On March 16, 2022, during the siege of Mariupol, she was captured by the russians. She was released on June 17, 2022.  

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• volunteers
• Kyiv

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.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

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
• prisoners
• women
• Lviv

Families of “Azovstal” defenders will hold a rally in Lviv. The rally will take place on August 5 at 7:00 PM in front of the Lviv National Opera building. The purpose of the event is to call on the world community and international organizations to save the lives of the prisoners, to return the Mariupol garrison to the territory controlled by Ukraine, and to recognize russia as a state sponsor of terrorism. According to the relatives of Azov soldiers, there has been no contact with the Ukrainian prisoners of war for several months, and the russians violate all possible rules for the treatment of prisoners. The families of prisoners of war also plan to hold rallies similar to the one in Lviv in various European cities.

• military
• prisoners
• Lviv

On July 30, a running flashmob called “Running for Azovstal” will take place on Trukhaniv Island in Kyiv in support of the defenders of Mariupol. The project was organized by the Association of “Azovstal” Defenders Families.

The participants are free to choose to run a longer or shorter distance, or choose a route on their own. The race in Kyiv will not have a finish line, because, as the organizers explain, the finish line of the project will be upon the return of all the captured Azovstal heroes.

The goal of the race is not to let the world forget about Mariupol defenders.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

Aliona Lapchuk saw her husband Vitalii Lapchuk alive for the last time on March 27 when he was abducted and beaten by occupiers.  On May 22, Vitalii’s body was found in the Dnieper. His relatives could only recognize him in the photo due to a peculiar birthmark. Vitalii’s wife is still unable to get Vitalii’s body for the funeral.

Vitalii Lapchuk joined Kherson’s Territorial Defense Force in the first days of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He took up arms in late February and continued to fight as an underground resistance fighter even after russian forces had entered the city.

• dead
• prisoners
• russian crimes

Iryna Dubchenko rescued a wounded Ukrainian serviceman in the village of Rozivka, Zaporizhia oblast, where the active combat started at the beginning of March. Then Ukrainian forces were forced to retreat. Iryna found out that one of the wounded, Serhiy from the Aidar Battalion, had been left in a village house without heating and food.

Iryna took care of the military man and planned to take him to Zaporizhia, pretending to be a couple. However, they did not have time to implement the plan: the soldiers in uniforms with the inscriptions of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic came to Irina. That’s how the journalist and the soldier were taken prisoner. The woman was released in early April. Now Iryna lives in Zaporizhia and is waiting for the deoccupation of her home village.

• casualties
• occupation
• prisoners

Terrorists of the self-proclaimed DPR sentenced to death a Moroccan citizen Brahim Saadoun who defended Ukraine against invaders. Brahim is 21 years old; he is a former student of Ihor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. He has been residing in Ukraine since 2019 and signed a contract for military service in 2021. He defended Azovstal Steel Works and was taken captive by russians. Nika, Brahim’s girlfriend, is fighting in Ukraine for his release from captivity.

By way of background information:
UK citizens Aiden Aslin, Shaun Pinner, and Moroccan citizen Brahim Saadoun were sentenced to death in occupied Donetsk. All of them moved to Ukraine and signed contracts with Ukraine’s Armed Forces before the onset of russia’s all-out invasion; thus, they are combatants protected by the Geneva Conventions.

• prisoners
• russian crimes