UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khyliuk in russian captivity for 3 years

The russian side does not provide any details about the journalist’s health

The russian federation claims that UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khyliuk, whom they have been illegally holding for the fourth year, is in “satisfactory” condition. This was reported by the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, during a briefing, answering UNIAN‘s questions.

Thus, when asked about the latest information about Khyliuk‘s health and whereabouts, the Ombudsman noted that “the situation has not changed.”

“Dmytro Khyliuk has been confirmed by the International Committee of the Red Cross to be in russian captivity. His condition, as far as the russian side is concerned, is satisfactory. However, we understand that this may be completely different. And his whereabouts have not changed since our last reports,” he said.

Lubinets noted that the issue of Khyliuk‘s return has been raised repeatedly by the Ukrainian side, including through intermediaries.

“The issue of the return of journalists is a separate matter. There is a separate list drawn up from among journalists illegally detained by the russian occupation authorities,” the Commissioner noted.

When asked whether the russians had provided any more details regarding Khyliuk‘s supposedly satisfactory health, as there had previously been information that the journalist weighed up to 45 kilograms, Lubinets said that the russians “are not providing any details.”

“Despite the fact that we directly stated during our appeals that we were asking to be informed about his condition, whether he had sought medical assistance, whether he had been provided with such assistance. That is, these are specific questions to which we wanted to receive specific answers. The position of the russian side that we always receive is “satisfactory condition,” that’s all,” the Ombudsman said.

As earlier reported, the journalist and his father were abducted by russian occupiers in the first days of March 2022 during the occupation of part of the Kyiv Region. The father was later released, while Dmytro was illegally taken to russia and is still being held.

According to previously available data from the international human rights organization Reporters Without Borders, Khyliuk is being held in the Vladimir Region of russia. A man who spent a year in the same cell with Khyliuk told the organization that the journalist weighs “no more than 45 kilograms.”

At least 31 Ukrainian journalists are currently in russian captivity. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) has initiated a campaign of solidarity with captured Ukrainian media workers. The NUJU regularly draws attention to the fate of imprisoned journalists, including Dmytro Khyliuk, Anastasiya Hlukhovska, Serhii Tsyhipa, Iryna Danylovych, Vladyslav Yesypenko, all illegally convicted Crimean journalists.