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To commemorate the defenders of Azovstal and other servicemen still in enemy captivity, peaceful events are planned in at least 18 cities of Ukraine.

On September 14, events will be held in Ochyrka, Pawlowrad, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Bila Tserkva, Ternopil, Irpin and Dnipro.

On September 15, peaceful rallies are planned in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Uman, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Kremenchuk, Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, and Chernivtsi.

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

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On September 14, Kyiv will host the “Run for Freedom,” an advocacy race aimed at securing the release of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians held in russian captivity. Organized by students of the Kyiv School of Economics, the KSE Foundation, DefDev, and the project to support Mariupol defenders—Heart of Azovstal, the event will bring together activists, veterans, and families of those still imprisoned.

Timothy Snyder, a Yale University professor and ambassador for the UNITED24 initiative, has thrown his support behind the race and will participate in person. Snyder, who is also leading a fundraising effort for demining operations as part of the UNITED24 Safe Terrain project, stands in solidarity with Ukraine’s cause.

According to Ukraine’s Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, around 28,000 Ukrainian citizens remain in russian captivity. The race aims to spotlight the plight of these individuals—military personnel, civilians, men, women, and even children—and amplify calls for their release.

The event will include military personnel, veterans, former captives who have survived imprisonment, and families still waiting for their loved ones to return, along with anyone who cares about the freedom of Ukrainian prisoners.

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• Kyiv

On August 29, Kyiv will hold an event to support prisoners of war and missing persons, bringing together relatives, friends, and officials.

Families and friends of prisoners of war, along with representatives from the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, are expected to participate in the event.

The gathering is organized by the Association “Strength of the Marines Corps.”

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• Kyiv

Peaceful demonstrations are planned in at least 18 cities of Ukraine to remind the society about the Azovstal defenders and other soldiers still held in enemy captivity.

On August 23, rallies will take place in Irpin, Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv.

On August 24, rallies are planned in Okhtyrka, Pavlohrad, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia and Ternopil.

On August 25, rallies will take place in Kyiv, Krolevets, Ovruch, Korostyshiv, Kremenchuk, Kovel, Rivne, Chernivtsi, Kryvyi Rih and Poltava.

The demonstrations are organized by the families of POWs from the Mariupol garrison.

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• Kyiv

In 2019, Vladyslav Zadorin enlisted in the Ukrainian army, becoming part of the 35th Marine Brigade. When russia launched its full-scale invasion, he found himself stationed on Snake Island. Alongside his fellow defenders, Zadorin was captured by russian forces in the early days of the conflict.

Over the course of two grueling years in captivity, Zadorin endured both physical and psychological torture. His body, once strong, was ravaged by starvation—he lost 60 kilograms, nearly half of his total weight. In the dire conditions of the prison, prisoners were left to starve. Vladyslav recalls the extreme measures they took to survive, with some resorting to eating worms and even chewing on toilet paper.

Vladyslav only learned of his release on a bus ride, a moment filled with disbelief as he had been led to believe he was being transferred to yet another prison. On January 3, 2024, he was finally brought back to Ukraine. Now, Zadorin is undergoing rehabilitation in Odesa. Despite the trauma, he plans to return to military service—this time as an instructor, determined to share his experiences and knowledge.

Vladyslav is open to speaking with journalists, both online and in person, by appointment.

For reference: The battle for Snake Island began on February 24, 2022, with a missile strike on the Ukrainian border garrison. Despite the destruction of all structures on the island, Ukrainian forces continued to resist. After hours of intense fighting, the russian military captured the island and took its defenders prisoner. 

However, on June 30, 2022, the russian forces hastily withdrew from Snake Island, and on July 4, the Ukrainian military raised their flag over the reclaimed territory.

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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.

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• 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.

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• 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.”

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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.

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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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• Dnipro