Journalist Dmytro Khyliuk and former Kherson mayor Volodymyr Mykolaenko returned from russian captivity

UNIAN journalist Dmytro Khyliuk, who had been in russian captivity as a civilian hostage since March 2022, returned to Ukraine as part of another exchange.

The Institute of Mass Information reports this with reference to sources.

Dmytro Khyliuk was kidnapped on March 3, 2022 in the village of Kozarovychi in the yard of his own house. At first, he was held in the territory of the occupied Dymer, and later was transported to a pre-trial detention center in russia, probably to one of the colonies in the Vladimir Oblast.

The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has opened criminal proceedings regarding the kidnapping of civilians in the territory of the Dymer united territorial community under Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (violation of the laws and customs of war), where the journalist and his father are listed as victims. In responses to inquiries, the russian Ministry referred to the Third Geneva Convention, although it did not directly recognize him as a prisoner of war.

In addition, the former mayor of Kherson, Volodymyr Mykolaenko, has returned to Ukraine from russian captivity. This was reported by Suspilne with reference to his niece, Hanna Korshun-Samchuk. According to her, the first call the ex-mayor received after his release was to his wife, and the first thing he said was "Glory to Ukraine".

Mykolaenko was kidnapped by the russian military on April 18, 2022 after threats from local collaborators. For a long time, his whereabouts were unknown until representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that he was in russian captivity. Volodymyr Mykolaenko headed Kherson from 2014 to 2020 and was a participant in the local Euromaidan.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on Thursday, August 14, Ukraine returned another 84 Ukrainians from russian captivity, including defenders of Mariupol and civilians.

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