PRISONERS OF WAR: SPECIAL COVERAGE
OLENIVKA COMMUNITY
We will document coverage, reports and interviews of the abuses by the Russian Federation against Ukrainians and non–Ukrainians alike. This will include reports from Kyiv and around Ukraine with victims of torture, released prisoners and their advocates, families waiting for their defenders to return and legal experts on the future of charges for those involved in the abuses of detained fighters.
ALSO
A mother waits for news of her son who fought in Mariupol. Despite many exchanges during the past year, she is one of many who waits to hear of her son’s location, condition and release.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, as the defenders put their lives on the line, their wives, mothers, sisters, cousins, and daughters stood by them. When the full scale invasion began in February 24, 2022, more terror came and more burden fell on these women of Ukraine.
As summer arrives for 2024, families in Ukraine still hold their vigils for captive civilians and defenders. On June 1, 2024, International Childrens Day, activists in Kyiv gathered with the families of captive civilians to remind the world that Russia is still holding children, civilians, civilian leadership in custody.
On November 22, 2022, a group of families met at Kyiv’s Independence monument to make their voices heard as they demanded to hear about their captive loved ones.
Representing several layers of fighters who were in the Armed Forces, Police, Border guards, the families are demanding to find their captured loved ones. Then again on December 3, 2022 in front of St. Michael’s Monastery to unite their voices in demand for releases. One just released soldier, Dmytro was on hand to stand in solidarity, still admitted to a hospital.
Drueke, or as he’s known, ‘Bama’, has returned to Ukraine to continue the fight without ambiguity to the force he’s fought against already. He knows the character of the Russian forces and who is really in charge in Donetsk, the FSB.
Drueke said it was important to know what the civilians have been subjected to by Russian invasion forces. He said he knew the Ukrainian forces can win if given the supplies to prevail. “I understand we have our own domestic issues back home,” but “people need to realize this is a world wide issue this is a bigger issue. If Putin is not stopped here and turned back, he’s not going to be satisfied. He’s going to go for the Baltic states, Moldova, then Poland, then NATO’s involved.”
