On 12 January, an action in support of Ukrainian prisoners of war was held near the Universytet metro station in Kharkiv. About 300 people gathered at the event, including relatives of prisoners of war, veterans and concerned citizens, reports Suspilne Kharkiv.
**The pain of the unknown
Natalia, the mother of the missing soldier, said that she had not heard from her son for two years. On 15 January 2023, he disappeared near Kreminna.
‘This pain is chronic. No matter what I do, there is always one question in my mind: where is he? Is he alive? Every mother has the right to know what happened to her child,’ says Natalia.
Elizaveta, the wife of a captured Azovstal defender, also shared her story. Her husband has been in captivity for 31 months.
‘There is information that he is alive, but captivity is not life. We write him letters, but we know of only one that has reached him. Our son cries every day and waits for his father,’ the woman said.
**Veterans’ testimonies
A soldier, Volodymyr Spitsyn, who was recently wounded, spoke at the event. Despite the pain, he came to support his comrades.
‘If we forget about the war, about those who are in captivity, what will happen next? We get information about the prisoners only from the words of Russian prisoners or from the occupiers‘ videos,’ the fighter said.
Ihor Shyshko, head of the veterans’ space “Side by Side”, spent 801 days in captivity. He described the terrible conditions: torture, lack of food, cold and constant psychological pressure.
‘I returned from captivity having lost 50 kg. The food was miserable: water with cabbage, porridge with bones. This is the GULAG of the 21st century. But we will not surrender. Ukraine will take back all its heroes,’ he stressed.
Aim of the action.
The participants of the event emphasised the need to continue the struggle for the release of prisoners and to draw attention to this issue.
‘Such actions are a sign of support. We will not forget our boys and girls and will do everything to bring them home alive,’ the organisers concluded.