Themes by tag: prisoners

Civilians in Captivity will hold a large-scale peaceful demonstration titled Love Will Break the Bars, on February 8 in Kyiv. More than 100 participants are expected to gather to raise awareness about the urgent need to bring civilian captives home.

The event aims to remind the public of the ongoing fight for the freedom of those still held in captivity and to demonstrate that love and solidarity can break down even the toughest barriers.

Event program:

– Speeches from individuals awaiting the return of their loved ones from captivity;

– A performance by families highlighting the themes of freedom and the fight for justice;

– Recitations of poetry written from captivity;

– Artistic performances;

– Remarks from government officials. 

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Vilhelm Vitiuk, 22, grew up in Crimea before his family relocated to mainland Ukraine following russia’s occupation of the peninsula in 2014. That same year, his father joined the Defense Forces, and by 2015, his brother had been mobilized. Vilhelm himself enlisted in the military before the full-scale invasion, serving in the 56th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade when russian forces attacked Mariupol.

During the fierce battles for the city, Vitiuk and his unit defended the Illich Iron and Steel Works. In early April 2022, he was wounded by enemy cluster munitions. Soon after, he and his comrades were encircled and taken prisoner by russian forces. Life in captivity was brutal—Vitiuk recalls being beaten at least four times a week, in addition to relentless interrogations. His captors singled him out for particularly harsh treatment because of the Ukrainian coat of arms tattooed on his arm.

Despite the torment, Vitiuk clung to the promise he had made to his mother—to return home. When he was once again given civilian clothes, he feared he was simply being transferred to another detention facility. But a day later, he found himself back in Ukraine—freed in a prisoner exchange.

Now a veteran, Vitiuk is studying psychology with the goal of supporting fellow soldiers. He is available for meetings in Kyiv, both online and in person, by appointment.

• casualties
• military
• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

The war separated Illia and Alina, border guards in Mariupol, in the spring of 2022. Both were captured by the enemy and had no information about each other. Illia even feared that his beloved might no longer be alive.

After five months in captivity, Alina was released in October 2022 and has been waiting for Illia’s return ever since. For almost two years, there was no news of him. But on January 3, 2024, the phone rang, and within seconds she heard the familiar voice say the long-awaited words: “It’s me…” Illia returned home, and the couple had recently been married.

• military
• prisoners
• women

Kyiv to host a briefing at Media Center Ukraine on January 28 titled “From Olenivka to the Hague: Who will be held accountable for the treacherous killing of Ukrainian POWs?”

Participants:

– Roman Martynovskyi, Senior Expert of the Regional Center for Human Rights;

– Tetiana Katrychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– Oleksandra Mazur, Head of the NGO “Olenivka Community”;

– Roman Tsyb, Representative of the 18th Department of the General Prosecutor’s Office. 

All in person.

Topics of focus:

– What really happened on the night of July 28-29, 2022?

– How did russia itself react to the mass killing of POWs in Olenivka?

– What key facts have been established as a result of investigations by civil society organizations?

– How should russia’s criminal actions be properly classified?

– Who is responsible for the killing and torture of Ukrainian POWs?

– What are the specifics of the national investigation in Ukraine?

– What are the challenges for the return of the Azovstal defenders?

– Are there prospects for an investigation by the International Criminal Court?

The event will also present a joint submission by six civil society organizations to the International Criminal Court aimed at ensuring the principle of inevitability of punishment for war crimes committed by the russian federation.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Ivan Babushkin, a former POW and fighter of the 15th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “KARA-DAG”, faced the beginning of the full-scale invasion while serving in Mariupol. On March 26, 2022, Ivan and his comrades were captured.

He spent two years in captivity, most of it in colonies in the temporarily occupied Donetsk oblast, including two months in Olenivka. According to Ivan, russians beat and starved Ukrainian soldiers during their captivity. What sustained him through the horrors of captivity was his dream of returning home and opening his own cafe.

Ivan was released in January 2024. After completing his rehabilitation, he began to realize his dream. He opened a cafe in Zaporizhia, where he now works alongside his beloved.

You can contact Ivan Babushkin online or in person in Zaporizhia by prior arrangement.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Zaporizhzhia

Peaceful events are planned in 22 cities across Ukraine to raise awareness of the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still in enemy captivity.

On January 18, rallies will be held in Ochyrka, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, Bila Tserkva, Kolomyia and Pavlohrad.

On January 19, peaceful actions are scheduled in Kyiv, Pivdenoukrainsk, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korosten, Kremenchuk, Uzhhorod, Mykolaiv, Rivne, Berdychiv, Korostyshiv, Ternopil, Cherkasy and Kropyvnytskyi.

The events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison. The rallies are often attended by Ukrainians who have been released from captivity.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On January 8, the Media Initiative for Human Rights and the Association “Marine Corps Strength” will host a major press conference in Kyiv to mark 1,000 days since Ukrainian marines were taken captive. The event aims to draw attention to the conditions faced by marines in russian captivity and the urgent need for international access to detention facilities. Participants will receive the event’s location via email upon registration.  

Key topics to be addressed:

– The number of marines detained, their health, and the conditions of their captivity in russia;

– The role of mixed medical commissions, as mandated by the Geneva Convention, in assessing the status of injured and seriously ill prisoners of war;

– Diplomatic avenues to secure access to detention sites in russia, with a focus on the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties;

During the press conference, families of the prisoners of war will unveil a symbolic pin to express solidarity with the marines who defended Mariupol. 

Featured speakers:

– Family representatives of the detained marines;

– Olena Belyachkova, coordinator for families of prisoners and missing persons with the Media Initiative for Human Rights;

– A representative from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

– Dmytro Usov, Secretary of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War. 

Registration is required to attend the event.

For reference: In April and May 2022, following the protracted defense of Mariupol, marine units and other defenders of the city were captured by russian forces. A significant number were taken prisoner on April 12, 2022, during a breakout attempt from the russian-occupied Illich plant as they sought to join forces with the Azov Regiment at Azovstal.  

Families report that many of the captured marines are in critical condition, with some suffering from advanced tuberculosis, cancer, or other severe health issues requiring specialized medical equipment. Reports also indicate that some prisoners are permanently connected to artificial lung ventilation systems. Despite their dire state, russia continues to detain these individuals without adequate medical care. 

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

Dmytro Kanupier, a soldier with the 12th Brigade of the Azov Ukraine’s National Guard, faced the onset of russia’s full-blown invasion in Mariupol. In April 2022, while defending the Azovstal steel plant, Dmytro sustained two shrapnel injuries. As the situation deteriorated, he and his fellow soldiers debated their grim options, including suicide, before ultimately obeying an order to surrender in late May 2022.  

Initially detained at a colony in Olenivka, within the russian-occupied Donetsk region, Dmytro endured harrowing conditions until he was transferred to Taganrog, russia, on September 26, 2022. There, he and other prisoners were subjected to relentless beatings and torture, aimed at extracting false confessions to fabricated crimes. While held captive, Dmytro was unjustly sentenced to 29 years in a strict-regime penal colony for a war crime he did not commit.  

On October 18, 2024, Dmytro was finally released as part of a prisoner exchange and returned to Ukraine. He is now undergoing rehabilitation and working to recover from his ordeal.  

Interviews with Dmytro Kanupier, either in person or online, can be arranged through his press service with prior notice.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes

To raise awareness about the defenders of Azovstal and other soldiers still held in enemy captivity, a performance entitled “Third Christmas in Captivity” will be held in Lviv, accompanied by peaceful rallies in 24 cities across Ukraine.

Scheduled events:

December 21: Peaceful rallies in Okhtyrka, Pivdennoukrainsk, Chernihiv, Irpin, Vinnytsia, Kolomyia, Zhytomyr, Obukhiv, Poltava, Pavlohrad, and Zaporizhia.

December 22: Peaceful rallies in Kyiv, Uman, Krolevets, Korosten, Ovruch, Cherkasy, Uzhhorod, Mykolaiv, Korostyshiv, Kovel, Kropyvnytskyi, Odesa, Ostroh, and Lviv.

The events are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison. The rallies are often attended by Ukrainians who have been released from captivity.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv
• Lviv
• Odesa

At 72 years old, Tetiana Tepliuk’s resilience is nothing short of extraordinary. A soldier in the Azov Regiment, she serves alongside her son, continuing a lifelong dedication to Ukraine. russia’s war against Ukraine isn’t her first brush with conflict—Tetiana’s story began decades ago.  

In 1980, she volunteered as a nurse in Afghanistan, tending to the wounded amid the chaos of war. Years later, during Ukraine’s Revolution of Dignity in 2013, Tetiana was on the frontlines again, volunteering at the medical center in Kyiv’s October Palace.  

By 2015, her path led her to Mariupol, where she joined the Azov Regiment’s medical center. She was there when russia launched its full-scale invasion. Though a civilian at the time, wearing a uniform marked her as a target. Following her commander’s orders, Tetiana and her comrades were captured.  

Tetiana spent eight months in captivity. While she was spared physical torture, she endured the harrowing sounds of Ukrainian soldiers suffering nearby. Despite these horrors, her spirit remained unbroken.  

After her release, a military medical evaluation deemed her fit for duty. In September 2023, Tetiana rejoined the army, now handling administrative tasks at the medical center. However, her resolve is unwavering—she intends to wear her uniform until Ukraine achieves victory.  

Tetiana is available for interviews, both online and in person, with arrangements coordinated through her press officer.

• military
• prisoners
• women