On the air of the program “Straight to the Point” on Halychyna TV, Ihor Kotelyanets, Chair of the Board of the NGO Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners, spoke about the situation of Ukrainians in Russian captivity and the scale of persecution of civilians in the temporarily occupied territories.

Ihor Kotelyanets noted that on the eve of and on the Day of the Ukrainian Political Prisoner, the Association held a public event titled “The Day of the Ukrainian Political Prisoner: Memory and Action” at the exhibition space “Vasyl Stus. As Long as We Are Here, Everything Will Be Alright” at the Mystetskyi Arsenal. During the event, participants addressed the issue of Russia’s current repressions and emphasized that today persecution affects not dozens, but tens of thousands of people—often solely because of their Ukrainian identity, language, or ties to territory controlled by Ukraine.

Speaking about the scale of the problem, it was noted on air that there is no exact data on the number of civilians held illegally: the state has confirmed at least around 3,000 verified cases, but the real figures may be significantly higher due to Russia’s systematic concealment of detention facts. In this context, the discussion also highlighted the need for a state policy to support people who have survived illegal imprisonment or left occupied territories, as well as legislative initiatives that civil society organizations have submitted to members of parliament.

Special attention was also paid to the issue of returning civilians: the effectiveness of this process is directly linked to international pressure on Russia, including sanctions and military support for Ukraine, as well as systematic documentation of crimes and the collection of evidence.

The full report is available at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS3dPFb36p8

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