Recording
They made us shout 'Glory to Russia'
A former restaurateur went to the front and was captured by the Russians
Maksym Kolesnikov02/27/23
What Russian Captivity is Like
Stories of Ukrainian civilians and military personnel who endured Russian prisons, 'filtration' camps, and prisoner exchanges. Testimonies about interrogations, violence, prison conditions, and returning after release.
15 Testimonies
- Recording
They forced us to kiss their flag and the St. George’s ribbon
A school teacher was taken into Russian captivity, returned, and learned to enjoy life again
Viktoriia Andrusha12/23/22 - Recording
Mom, who is Uncle Vova and why is he the president of the whole world?
A Ukrainian servicewoman went through captivity and brought back her children from occupation
Kateryna Skopina06/22/23 - Recording
They told me that when I give birth, they’ll take the baby away
A female medic from the Armed Forces of Ukraine went through captivity while pregnant
Mariana Mamonova03/18/23 - Recording
One must not lose the ability to love and not fall into total hatred
A Donetsk journalist advocated for peace talks with Russia but took up arms in 2022. He was captured
Yevhen Shybalov04/19/23 - Recording
I was sent to the transit prison, and my daughter to Zaporizhzhia
A military paramedic from Azovstal was separated from her daughter and sent into Russian captivity
Viktoriia Obidina11/01/22 - Recording
I realized: they’d taken me out to be executed
An anesthesiologist about being in captivity in Olenivka
Yurik Mkrtchian11/22/22 - Recording
I lost faith not just in Russia, but in people altogether
An anesthesiologist about the terrorist attack in Olenivka that killed 50 Ukrainian prisoners
Yurik Mkrtchian11/23/22 - Recording
No matter where a woman is, she always stays a woman on the inside
A female paramedic from Azovstal described what Russian captivity is like for a woman
Tetiana Vasylchenko11/02/22 - Recording
People made your home into a literal barn
A daughter and mother were evacuated from a village in Kherson Oblast. Their brother stayed and was captured
Viktoriia10/19/22 - Recording
They put a bag over my head. A pink, new one
A kindergarten teacher from Kherson became a TikTok star, was taken captive — and survived
Olena Naumova12/05/22 - Recording
I’m in Mariupol, don’t tell Mom
A Ukrainian woman about her brother, an anesthesiologist, who was taken captive
Karina Mkrtchian07/01/22
