Russian Defence Ministry confirms holding Ukrainian journalist Khyliuk captive in Russia

Dmytro Khyliuk. Photo: Center for Civil Liberties

The Russian Ministry of Defence has confirmed the detention of Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Khyliuk, who was abducted by the Russians in the spring of 2022, on the territory of the Russian Federation.

Source: Khyliuk’s lawyer Oksana Mykhalevych on Hromadske Radio

Quote: “The Russian Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Khyliuk is in Russia. His father received such a letter, as he appealed to the Russian Ministry of Defence and not only there, but received a meaningful response from the Russian Ministry of Defence.

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The letter states that Khyliuk is on the territory of the Russian Federation, and in accordance with Article III of the Geneva Convention, all news about him should be transmitted through the Red Cross Committee. The Third Geneva Convention is about the treatment of prisoners of war. That is, they do not say in this letter that he is a prisoner of war, but they refer to this convention, and therefore, accordingly, they recognise him as a prisoner of war.”

Details: Mykhalevych said that it is currently difficult to predict what can help in the process of Khyliuk’s release, because Russia is an aggressor state, and it acts in an unpredictable manner.

“We appealed to the ECHR back in May 2022, but it did not give any result. The Reporters Without Borders is investigating his abduction and detention. The international journalistic community is aware of this case,” Mykhalevych added. 

Background:

• Khyliuk’s colleagues said that Khyliuk, a journalist with the UNIAN news agency, was abducted by the Russians in the village of Kozarovychi, Vyshhorod district, Kyiv Oblast, around the beginning of March 2022.
• In July 2023, Reporters Without Borders wrote that Khyliuk was being held in a penal colony in Russia’s Vladimir Oblast, although Russia denied that it was holding him captive. 

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