Released soldier passes on greetings from journalist still in captivity

Dmytro Khyliuk, a correspondent for the news agency UNIAN who was abducted by the Russians over two years ago, has sent greetings to his parents and says he hopes to be released. His message was passed on by one of 75 Ukrainians who have been liberated from Russian captivity.

Source: UNIAN

Quote: "I spent nearly 11 months in the same prison cell as Khyliuk – Dmytro Khyliuk from the UNIAN agency. He sends his best wishes to his parents and brother and says [to tell them] he is alive. He hopes to be released."

Details: Khyliuk’s mother Halyna told UNIAN she had received "the best news in the world".

Quote: "I have mixed feelings: indescribable joy, and sorrow, and worry, and shock. These emotions are visible on my face… I’ve had no news about my child for two years and three months. Today I learned at least a little bit of information. A tiny bit. Very vague. But it still brought me joy."

Details: Dmytro Khyliuk and his father were abducted by Russian occupiers in early March 2022 during the occupation of Kyiv Oblast. Dmytro’s father was later released, while Dmytro was illegally deported to Russia.

Dmytro Lubinets, Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner, said in December 2023 that the Russians had not confirmed whether Khyliuk was in Russia.

Early in April 2024, the media outlet Graty cited a letter from the Russian Defence Ministry confirming the detention of the Ukrainian journalist. It said that as of mid-March 2024, Khyliuk had been "detained and is on the territory of the Russian Federation".

Background: The NGO Media Initiative for Human Rights has reported that Ukraine is aware of 31 Ukrainian journalists who were abducted and are now being held in captivity in Russia.

The NGO says Khyliuk was abducted by Russian forces on 3 March 2022 near his home in Kozarovychi, a village in Kyiv Oblast. He was sent through Belarusian territory to Novozybkov, Bryansk Oblast, Russia, which is where most of the citizens who were detained in Kyiv Oblast during the occupation were taken.

Information was recently received about Ukrainian journalist and freelance writer for Ukrainska Pravda Viktoriia Roshchyna, according to Lina Kushch, first secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine. The Russian Defence Ministry has confirmed to Viktoriia's father that she is currently being held in Russia.

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