The Disappearance and the Search

On March 1, 2022, as Russian forces advanced on Kyiv, Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Khilyuk and his father were forcibly detained from their home in Kozarovychi. This marked the beginning of a three-year, five-month, and twenty-one-day nightmare for Khilyuk, a period characterized by hunger, cold, and the complete absence of legal recourse. His case, brought to light by Amnesty International, exemplifies the systematic targeting of Ukrainian civilians – and journalists in particular – under Russian occupation.

Khilyuk’s disappearance wasn’t an isolated incident. It’s part of a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances, torture, and ill-treatment documented extensively in Ukraine. The plight of those abducted highlights the dangers faced by civilians caught in the crossfire of conflict, and the deliberate attempts to silence independent voices.

Throughout his ordeal, Amnesty International worked with Ukrainian colleagues, leveraging contacts within Russia to trace Khilyuk’s path through the labyrinthine Russian prison system. The organization’s efforts underscore the critical role of international advocacy in documenting human rights abuses and seeking accountability.

Khilyuk himself credits a single, unwavering thought with sustaining him: the belief that his captivity would eventually end. This resilience, he says, was paramount to his survival.

The Descent into Captivity

Before his arrest, Khilyuk reflected on the importance of maintaining one’s humanity in the face of adversity, a concept he’d previously encountered only in books. Imprisonment, he discovered, offered a brutal, visceral understanding of what it truly meant to remain human.

“In the hardest conditions, you must keep at least some humanity in yourself, not turn into an animal. Stay human. Even when you’re hungry, cold, and terrified,” Khilyuk recounts. This sentiment was echoed within the prison walls, where inmates shared meager rations – a piece of bread, a portion of their breakfast – to alleviate another’s hunger, even if only for a single day.

The initial days of the occupation were marked by chaos and fear. Russian tanks rolled into Kozarovychi on February 25, 2022, transforming the peaceful village into a warzone. Homes were raided, possessions stolen – from valuables to children’s toys. Khilyuk and his father were subjected to a humiliating search, stripped of their belongings, while an armed soldier stood guard over his elderly, stroke-stricken mother.

Following their initial detention, Khilyuk was transported to a warehouse, blindfolded and bound, where he encountered others who had already endured horrific abuse. His interrogation focused on his profession as a journalist, demanding to know the purpose of his work. His simple response – “I live here” – offered little defense against the arbitrary nature of his detention.

His journey through the Russian prison system began with a transfer to Belarus, followed by a prolonged stay at Pretrial Detention Facility №2 in Novozibkov, Russia, near the Ukrainian border. This facility would become his home for over a year.

The Brutality of Russian Detention

Life within the detention facilities was defined by deprivation. Hunger was a constant companion, driving inmates to the brink of desperation. The cold was relentless, forcing prisoners to huddle near radiators or walk in circles to generate warmth. Khilyuk resorted to wearing socks on his hands and underwear around his neck for protection against the frigid temperatures.

The conditions deteriorated further with a transfer to Pakino in the Vladimir region. There, prisoners were subjected to degrading treatment, forced to participate in humiliating displays of strength. The spread of disease was rampant, with scabies and tuberculosis afflicting many inmates. Attempts by Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova, to portray a more humane picture were revealed as staged events, designed to deceive international observers.

Khilyuk describes the experience of civilian detainees as akin to being held hostage, stripped of any legal rights or explanation for their imprisonment. He was never formally charged, and his interrogation focused on events in Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014, regions he had only visited briefly for work years prior.

Before his eventual exchange on August 24, Khilyuk, like other detainees, was forced to read a statement declaring his lack of complaints against the Russian Federation – a final act of coercion and humiliation.

What does it say about the nature of conflict when civilians, simply living their lives, become targets of arbitrary detention and abuse? How can the international community ensure accountability for these egregious human rights violations?

Frequently Asked Questions About Dmytro Khilyuk’s Captivity