The 32 Ukrainian volunteers who had been kidnapped by Russian servicemen in late March have now been set free, Mediazona cites Helping To Leave, a humanitarian organisation.
“They spent over 100 days in the infamous Olenovka [a settlement on Russia-occupied Ukrainian territory where the pro-Russian “Donetsk People’s Republic” runs a prison for Ukrainian POWs], but now they have been set free! I wish to thank everyone who helped us achieve this. The volunteers have now reunited with their families. They have left the occupied territory and are now safe,” Albina Lvutina, a Ukrainian journalist, wrote on her Facebook.
More than 30 Ukrainian volunteers who worked as drivers helping Mariupol residents leave the city went missing in late March. Mediazona, an independent Russian media outlet, found out they had been kidnapped by Russian servicemen and taken to Olenovka, a settlement on Russia-occupied Ukrainian territory where the pro-Russian “Donetsk People’s Republic” runs several prisons for Ukrainian POWs. The Helping To Leave foundation reports some volunteers are still imprisoned there.
Vadym Boychenko, Mariupol’s mayor, says up to 10,000 Ukrainian civilians may be held in custody in the “DPR” territory.
