17-year-old Ukrainian loses finger in brutal attack in Poland

Police in Kraków have detained three teenagers involved in an assault on a 17-year-old Ukrainian citizen, Artem, who suffered a head injury and lost the thumb of his left hand.

Source: TVN24, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The incident occurred last week. Artem's mother said that he and his friends had gone to the Zakrzówek reservoir in Kraków to swim because it was so hot.

At some point, another group of teenagers approached the group. When one of Artem's friends stood up, he was punched in the face. Artem stood up to defend him, pulling the attacker back. By this time, another friend had managed to get the girls in the group to safety.

Quote: "When they used tear gas, I tried to run away. Then a man with a machete ran after me. He hit me on the head and on my finger. He didn't stop hitting me, but somehow I broke free and jumped into the water. Everything happened so fast that it's hard for me to remember what the attackers looked like."

Artem was pulled out of the water by his friends, who also called for help. He was taken to hospital with injuries to his head and hand, and underwent surgery. "My son lost a lot of blood. Unfortunately, the thumb of his left hand could not be saved," his mother added.

On Monday, 15 July, the police in Poland's Małopolska Voivodeship announced that three suspects aged 15, 16 and 17 had been detained. The youngest already had a criminal record.

Quote from the police report: "During the search of the apartment where the 17-year-old [suspect] lived, an object that was most likely used to strike the victim, a Ukrainian citizen, was found and confiscated."

All three have been charged with involvement in an assault with a dangerous object. This offence is punishable by imprisonment for between six months and eight years under the Polish Criminal Code.

The 17-year-old suspect, who will be tried as an adult, has been remanded in custody for three months. Kraków police say that charges may be brought against other individuals as well.

Last month, law enforcement officers in Warsaw detained two Poles who attacked two Ukrainians with a knife and assaulted them.

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