Themes by tag: prisoners

Olena Yuzvak found herself under the occupation immediately after the beginning of the big war. Hostomel, a town in Kyiv region, where a doctor was staying, was captured by the russians. Olena stayed there to continue working and helping people who could not leave. Olena distributed medicine and cared for the wounded until the occupiers captured her. The doctor was released a day later, and 10 days later, the Ukrainian military liberated Hostomel. Olena immediately returned to work and began working to restore the medical institutions she managed. One of these facilities is located in Moshchun village, Kyiv region, which was destroyed by a direct hit in the shelling. With the support of international funds, Olena managed to build a new Health Center and turn it into an energy-independent Invincibility Center. The Health Center in Moshchun has been successfully operating since its opening. Currently, the doctor continues to work on the restoration and opening of modern medical facilities.

For reference: on April 2, 2022, Kyiv region was completely liberated from russian occupation. By April 6, 2022, the Defense Forces fully liberated Chernihiv region. On April 11, 2022, the then Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi announced that full control over the state border in Sumy region was restored.

• casualties
• doctors
• occupation
• prisoners
• reconstruction
• women
• Kyiv

The peaceful rallies are scheduled to coincide with the second anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion and the tenth anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. Organizers anticipate gatherings in at least 10 Ukrainian cities.

On February 23, rallies are expected in Khmelnytskyi. 

February 24 will see events in Kyiv, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, and Krolevets (Sumy region). 

On February 25, demonstrations are planned in Dnipro, Ternopil, and Ovruch (Zhytomyr region).

These events are coordinated by families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison.

For reference: According to the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, over 8,000 Ukrainians, both civilians and military personnel, are believed to remain in Russian custody.

• military
• prisoners

On February 21, Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform will host a presentation of the analytical report entitled: “Rescue mission: what is happening in russian captivity and how to prevent captured Ukrainian soldiers from dying.”

During the presentation, the Media Initiative for Human Rights will present the analytical report on the testimonies of prisoners released in prisoner exchanges, who claim that Ukrainian soldiers died in russian captivity as a result of beatings or torture. They also claim that some prisoners committed suicides due to psychological, sexual or other types of violence in captivity. In response to the MIHR’s inquiry about the number of Ukrainians who died in russian captivity from February 24, 2022 to November 16, 2023, the Ministry of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine stated 49 people.

Participants:

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

– Maria Klymyk, MIHR journalist;

– Anastasiia Hondiul, wife of an Azov regiment soldier who was heavily injured in the Olenivka barrack, Olenivka Families Community NGO;

– Bohdan Slobodian, witness to a Ukrainian serviceman’s death in russian captivity;

– Andrii Yakovlev, lawyer, MIHR international law expert;

The event requires registration.

• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

A new hub for the military freed from captivity has been inaugurated in Kyiv. The brainchild of Mariupol’s defenders, the “YOUkraine hub” serves as a haven for safe communication, mutual assistance, and rehabilitation, made possible by the YOUkraine charitable foundation.

Operating under the ethos of “our own for our own,” the hub recognizes the unique challenges faced by former prisoners of war upon their return. From physical rehabilitation to social reintegration amidst wartime conditions, along with legal and domestic matters, the hub aims to provide comprehensive support to these returning defenders.

Key services offered include legal and psychological aid, as well as social support tailored to the needs of the soldiers. 

Valeriia “Nava” Subotina, an Azovstal defender, journalist, and poet has been appointed as the director of the YOUkraine hub.

For reference: A recent prisoner exchange on February 8th, brought back to Ukraine 100 defenders being kept in Russian custody. Among those exchanged the majority were defenders of Azovstal. Since the full-scale invasion outbreak, a total of 3,135 Ukrainian defenders have been liberated from Russian captivity.

• prisoners
• Kyiv

The peaceful rallies under the “Don’t be silent. Captivity Kills!” slogan will take place across 14 cities of Ukraine to support Ukrainian prisoners of war. 

The gatherings are to be staged in Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia, and Krolevets (Sumy region) on February 3 and in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Ternopil, Poltava, Kremenchuk, Ovruch, Ivano-Frankivsk, Cherkasy, and Kovel on February 4. 

The events are held by the POWs from the ‘Mariupol’ garrison families. 

For reference: On February 1 this year, during yet another prisoner swap, Ukraine brought 207 Ukrainians back from Russian captivity. The defenders of Mariupol, Kherson, fighters from Snake Island, marines, and combat medics are among the released soldiers. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 2681 Ukrainian service members and 147 civilians have been returned home through exchanges. More than 8,000 Ukrainians, civilians, and military, are still being held captive by Russia. 

• military
• prisoners

On January 27, an exhibition titled “UKRAINE WAITS FOR ITS HEROES” dedicated to sharing the stories of Mariupol defenders will open in Dnipro. This first-ever exhibition recounts the heroic deeds of the soldiers of the ‘Mariupol’ garrison, aiming to draw attention to the abhorrent detention conditions of Ukrainian prisoners of war who have been held in enemy dungeons for over 1.5 years, will open its doors in Dnipro. 

At the exhibition opening, journalists will have the opportunity to talk to family members and friends of the prisoners of war.

For reference: Every week, families of POWs, those dead or missing and veterans who have survived the hell of captivity themselves gather at peaceful rallies all across Ukraine cities to remind and raise awareness of Ukrainian service members who are in Russian prisons.

The defense of Mariupol lasted for 86 days. A military command order has been given to Ukrainian defenders to “stop defending” the city, leave the Azovstal steel plant, and surrender to the enemy. On May 20, 2022, Mariupol came under Russian occupation.

• military
• prisoners
• Dnipro

Originally from Donetsk, Tetiana Tipakova lived in Berdiansk, Zaporizhia region (currently Russian-occupied), for about 30 years. Before Russia’s all-out invasion, she worked in a travel agency.

Since the full-blown war’s early days, Tetiana assembled peaceful protests in support of Ukraine in Berdiansk. Eventually, she was abducted by the Russian military for leading the actions. They put a bag over her head and took her to a colony, where she was interrogated for two days and beaten. Tetiana was subjected to electric shocks through her fingers and Russian captors mocked her execution. She was also forced to record an apology video. The prisoner was released, but the next day she was captured again. This time, she was held for 4 days and again had to endure torture.

After that, Tatiana decided to flee the city. She traveled through more than 20 checkpoints to get to the city of Zaporizhia. There she later founded the Ridna Stezhka NGO to support her fellow countrymen who were also forced out of the occupied city. They help people with food and medicine insecurity and organize leisure activities. They also help the military from the Berdiansk community. “Our heart is forever yellow and blue” is a tagline linked with the organization. 

There is an opportunity for journalists to hold offline and online interviews with Tetiana. 

• occupation
• prisoners
• women

The first days of russia’s full-scale enemy invasion caught 25-year-old Viktor Lakhno in Berdyansk, Zaporizhia region. The man joined the territorial defense forces, and together with his brothers in arms he patrolled nearby settlements. Once the territorial defense soldiers even managed to capture some of the occupiers. After Berdyansk was occupied by the russians, Viktor became a resistance fighter. And later he left for the Ukraine-controlled territory.

Viktor was one of the people who volunteered to take a helicopter ride to Mariupol surrounded by the russians. The Ukrainian military man managed to take several rides. He helped to deliver the cargo and pick up seriously wounded soldiers.

Starting on April 4, 2022, Viktor fought in Mariupol. Later, together with other defenders of the city, he ended up at the Azovstal plant. By order of the command, the soldier left Azovstal on May 17. He spent 4 months in the infamous colony in occupied Olenivka, Donetsk region. Later he was transferred to occupied Horlivka. In general, Victor spent 13 months in enemy captivity. The military returned home in June 2023.

For reference: the defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days. Following the order of the command, the Ukrainian defenders stopped the defense, left Azovstal and surrendered to the enemy. On May 20, 2022, russia occupied Mariupol. 

• military
• prisoners

The “I Want to Find” state project intended to work with citizens of the aggressor country, primarily with the families of Russian service members who went missing, died, or were taken prisoner in Ukraine. “I Want to Find” project services allow Russians with missing soldier relatives in Ukraine to check if they are being held as POWs or have been confirmed killed. 

Russian Ministry of Defense officials often refuse to recognize their own soldiers who were lucky enough to survive in Ukraine as prisoners of war. Their relatives and friends fail to get Russia authorities to include those POWs on the exchange list for prisoner swaps. 

By providing reliable information to the Russian servicemen’s families, the “I Want to Find” project will help to put more public pressure on their government. In particular, in the issues of prisoner-of-war exchanges, search, identification, and transfer of bodies from the war zone. This will allow Ukraine to repatriate more defenders.

• dead
• prisoners

The campaign under the slogan “Don’t be silent. Captivity Kills!” action will take place in Krolevets, Sumy Oblast, Pavlohrad, Dnipro Oblast, and Odesa on January 6. 

The gatherings to be staged in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kremenchuk (Poltava region), Kryvyi Rih (Dnipropetrovsk region), Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Ovruch (Zhytomyr region) are scheduled for January 7. 

The peaceful rally is held by families of prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison. 

For reference: On January 3 this year, Ukraine brought 230 military and civilians back from Russian captivity. That’s the largest prisoner exchange to be carried out since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Among those who returned home, there were no representatives of the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade, who defended Mariupol and surrendered in May 2022 on the orders of their command.

• prisoners