Themes by tag: prisoners

Mariia Aleksieievych is 26 years old, for two of which she has been waiting for her husband Serhii Aleksieievych, a soldier from Azov Regiment. On May 16, 2022, he carried out the order and surrendered to the enemy.

Mariia and Serhii met before the full-scale invasion. Both studied in Khmelnytskyi, majoring in psychology. The couple lived for several years in a civil marriage, and officially married online in April 2022, when Serhii was already in surrounded Mariupol.

While Serhii was fighting in Mariupol, he tried to get in touch, asked his wife to hold on, work and study. The last time Mariia communicated with her husband was on May 13, 2022. The woman came across a video where she saw Serhii being captured, later she found confirmation that he was in Olenivka. After the explosion in the barracks of the Olenivka colony, the woman found her lover’s name on the list of the wounded.

Mariia says that Serhii Aleksieievych was officially recognized as a prisoner of war only on August 31, 2023. Every once in a while Mariia learns about her husband’s condition from former captives who return in prisoner exchanges.

Currently, Maria heads Olenivka Community NGO. She is also actively involved in public work to investigate the events in the Olenivka colony, bring the culprits to justice, and help Ukrainian prisoners of war and their families.

Mariia Aleksieievych is in Vinnytsia region and is ready to communicate with the media, both in person and online.

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 blast.

• military
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• women
• Vinnytsia

Alina and Vadym Gaburych are soldiers of the Azov Regiment. They had defended Ukraine even before the full-scale invasion. After February 24, 2022, they defended Mariupol. Vadym was seriously injured in April 2022 and died in the bunker of the Azovstal plant. Alina, along with thousands of Mariupol defenders, was captured.

The couple’s son Yehor (now 8 years old) was raised by his grandparents. However, the boy looked at the pictures of his parents above his bed every day and believed that they would return. He even wrote a song for his mother.

In April 2023, Alina was released from captivity, and she and her son finally met. The woman still cannot bury her husband, because the russians did not hand over his body.

Journalists have the opportunity to talk with Alina in Cherkasy region.

For reference: the Children of Heroes Fund helps the family by providing material and humanitarian aid (medicines, food products, hygiene kits). Yehor also received a long-awaited tablet.

• casualties
• prisoners
• women
• Cherkasy

Peaceful demonstrations are planned in at least 20 cities to remind about the Azovstal defenders and other soldiers who are still held captive by the enemy.

On June 29, events will take place in Dnipro, Lviv, Chernihiv, Okhtyrka, Pavlohrad, Vinnytsia and Bila Tserkva.

On June 30, rallies are planned in Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Kremenchuk, Krolevka, Korosten, Ovruch, Obikhov, Sumy, Uzhhorod, Kryvyi Rih, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Odesa.

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

• military
• prisoners
• Dnipro
• Kyiv
• Lviv
• Odesa

Mariana Mamonova, a military medic serving in Ukraine’s Armed Forces, was taken captive while pregnant by enemy forces. Despite her ordeal, she has since established a charity foundation to aid women who have survived russian captivity.

Aged 32, Mariana, a captain in the Medical Service, had been deployed to Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO)/Joint Force Operation (JFO) zones since 2018. 

Initially stationed in Mariupol, she discovered her pregnancy amidst the full-scale invasion in mid-March 2022. Undeterred, she continued her life-saving work and was among those held at the Illich Iron and Steel Works in Mariupol, under Ukrainian military control, before being captured by occupiers on April 4th. An expectant mother endured nearly six months of captivity in a Donetsk region colony, finally being released during a prisoner exchange on September 21, 2022. Just four days later, she welcomed her daughter into the world.

Mariana is now available for interviews in Lviv or online, offering insights into her remarkable journey.

• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• women
• Lviv

The Rear Admiral Mykhailo Bilynskyi 36th Marine Brigade was one of the units defending Mariupol until the very end. In April-May 2022, about 1,300 servicemen from this unit were captured by the enemy. According to their families, the International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed the detention of about 800 of these servicemen.

The enemy is especially reluctant to exchange Mariupol defenders, who are subjected to daily torture, beatings, hunger, and moral humiliation. For over two years, these prisoners of war have endured terrible conditions in pre-trial detention centers and colonies. Relatives of the POWs from the 36th Marine Brigade believe that the prisoners’ endurance is nearly depleted, and their health is in critical condition.

During the press conference, the relatives will provide detailed accounts of what they have learned about the prisoners of war and their conditions of detention.

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

– Milana Kompaniets, mother of Yurii Hulchuk, a POW from the 36th Marine Brigade;

– Yuliia Petryk, wife of Mykyta Petryk, a POW, and Major of the 36th Marine Brigade;

– Hanna Bei, wife of Pavlo Bei, a POW, and Senior Sailor of the 501st Separate Battalion of the 36th Marine Brigade;

– Maryna Holinko, Major of the Medical Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who survived captivity in 2022.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

The Media Initiative for Human Rights examined the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, capture, and death of soldiers from various units, including the 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade. Between April and June 2022, these soldiers were involved in intense battles near Novotoshkivske and Toshkivka in the Sievierodonetsk district of the Luhansk region. They later participated in the defense of the Kherson and Donetsk regions. The team spoke with relatives of the missing and deceased soldiers, as well as soldiers who directly took part in these events.

Participants:

– Maria Klymyk, MIHR journalist, author of the article “Missing from the 57th Brigade: heavy fighting, deaths, captivity, and search”;

– Olena Zavalna, daughter of Oleh Khodak, who went missing during the battle for Bohdanivka, Donetsk region;

– Mariia Plaksii, representative of the initiative group of the NGO “Find and Return. 57/34”, whose brother was released from captivity in January 2024;

– Liliia Lukianiuk, representative of the NGO “Wives of Toshkivka prisoners”;

– Valentyn Zabolotnyi, deputy commander for moral and psychological support, 57th Brigade. 

• casualties
• military
• prisoners

On May 31, the Center for Civil Liberties and the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation, in collaboration with the XII International Book Arsenal Festival, will host a poetry reading focused on themes of captivity. 

“Hold on! I’m holding on!” is more than a slogan—it’s a heartfelt message from prisoners to their families, friends, and the broader community. The poster for the event features an illustration by Serhii Ofitserov, a Kherson resident captured in his parent’s apartment and currently detained at the Lefortovo detention center on false terrorism charges.

The event will showcase works by renowned Ukrainian poets including Serhii Zhadan, Tetiana Vlasova, Tonia Kornuta, Natalka Heiman, Yuliia Musakovska, Anna Malihon, Maryna Ponomarenko, and Oksana Stomina, whose husband remains in captivity. Contributions from prisoners such as Serhii Tsyhipa, founder of the Tavrian Games, Nariman Dzhelialov, Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, and Andrii Holubiev, a trainer from Melitopol, will also be featured. Their works will be brought to life by actors Akhtem Seitablaev, Kateryna Vyshneva, and Roman Yasinovskyi, along with human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk. The event will be hosted by Kateryna Osadcha.

Journalists wishing to attend must apply for accreditation by May 27.

• casualties
• culture
• prisoners
• Kyiv

Since the start of the all-out russian invasion, hostilities have impacted 20% of Ukraine’s territory, leading to the capture or deportation of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Their homes have been looted and destroyed, and liberated lands have been left heavily mined. The exact number of civilian prisoners and deportees remains unknown, and there are no established legal mechanisms for their return.

Ukrainian authorities, in collaboration with European institutions, are actively seeking ways to bring back Ukrainians who were forcibly deported to russia and belarus.

List of participants and speakers:  

• Iryna Korobko, spokesperson for the EU Advisory Mission Ukraine;
• Maria Mezentseva, Member of the Verkhovna Rada, Head of the Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe;
• Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, Head of Internal and Information Policy Department of Kherson Regional Military Administration (online);
• Oleksandr Baulin, Head of Kurylivka Village Military Administration, Kupiansk District, Kharkiv Region (online);
• Khrystyna Shkudor, “Where Are Our People?” campaign advocacy manager, PR Army NGO;
• Yuliia Khrypun, co-founder of the NGO “Civilians in captivity”;
• Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties.

Prior accreditation is required.

• casualties
• prisoners
• russian crimes

The Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families and the Animalism by UAnimals Shop have launched a unique clothing collection—animals waiting for their owners’ release from captivity series. Two years ago, following orders, Mariupol’s defenders left the Azovstal plant, and most have been held captive since. The entire country, along with their Ukrainian fighter’s families, friends, and pets, eagerly awaits the return of these heroes.

The Association of Azovstal Defenders’ Families partnered with the Animalism by UAnimals store for this collection. Kateryna Prokopenko, head of the Association and wife of soldier Denys “Redis” Prokopenko, created the drawings. A talented illustrator designed a series, inspired by real animals waiting for their pet parents to come home freed from captivity.

For example, Chiara the female pit bull eagerly awaits Taras during his walks, always excited to see someone who resembles her owner from a distance. Oleksandr constantly carried his cat Marta in his arms, and before the full-scale invasion, he dreamed of taking her to a military base. Rem, the dog, enjoyed walking in the woods with his friend Serhii, but he became highly stressed by the noise of explosions after the invasion began. Sadly, Rem passed away before Serhiy was released from captivity. There are similar stories about other animals.

All proceeds from the T-shirt sales will go to the UAnimals humanitarian movement, which rescues animals affected by the war.

For reference: Denys Prokopenko, known by his call sign “Redis,” is a colonel and the commander of the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine. A participant in the Russia-Ukraine war and a Hero of Ukraine, Prokopenko was captured by Russian forces in May 2022 after leaving the Azovstal plant in Mariupol. At that time, the highest military command had ordered the city’s defense to cease to save the soldiers’ lives. He was released from captivity in September 2022. 

The defense of Mariupol lasted 86 days and concluded on May 20, 2022.

• animals
• casualties
• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

On May 18, Kyiv will host a special gathering marking the second anniversary of the Mariupol garrison’s fighters leaving the besieged Mariupol Azovstal steel plant, featuring the participation of families of prisoners of war and liberated Mariupol defenders.

Two years ago, on May 20, 2022, the final defender of the Mariupol garrison departed Azovstal as per orders. Since then, many of these brave defenders have remained captive, leaving their families in a state of uncertainty. The event’s organizers aim to highlight the magnitude of the Mariupol tragedy, honor the courage of its defenders, and underscore the ongoing importance of advocating for their cause.

Joined by the families of Mariupol’s fighters, attendees will have the opportunity to reflect on the city’s pre-invasion era and its defense during the 86-day siege, including 82 days of complete encirclement.

The program will include a performance titled “Poems of a Military Soul” from the “Light of Art” project, presented by the Department of Cultural and Public Development of the Mariupol City Council and the independent theater of original plays, “Conception,” led by Oleksii Hnatiuk.

Event registration is required. 

• prisoners
• Kyiv