Russian troops kidnap a Kherson District Council member

Anastasiya Kalatur – Friday, 25 March 2022, 07:36

Dmytro Afanasyev, Head of the European Solidarity fraction and member of the Korabel District Council, was kidnapped by Russian troops.

Source: Serhiy Hlan, a member of the Kherson Regional Council, on Facebook

According to Hlan: "Dmytro Afanasyev, a member of the Korabel District Council and Head of the European Solidarity fraction, was kidnapped in Kherson. He is a world-famous athlete, internationally accredited instructor, and coach of Ukraine’s national taekwondo team."

Details: On 22 March, after a pro-Ukraine rally was dispersed by the Russian troops, Afanasyev stepped in to defend his wife, who was being detained by the Russians. He was severely beaten in retaliation: he was diagnosed with numerous haematomas and broken ribs at the hospital. Two hours later, the Russian military arrived at his family home to carry out a search. They found his District Council member ID and confiscated recordings from surveillance cameras and mobile phones of Afanasyev’s family members. All the men in the house were detained, including Dmytro’s friends. On 23 March, the house was searched again and one of the detainees, who reported brutal torture, was released. Other detained men are still in captivity and continue to be tortured and harassed.