Journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, released from russian captivity, meets with his family in Prague

Journalist of Krym.Realii (a project of the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty) Vladyslav Yesypenko, who was released from russian imprisonment on June 20, arrived in Prague, where he was met by his wife Kateryna and daughter Stefania. In Prague, Yesypenko will undergo a medical examination and rehabilitation after more than four years of russian imprisonment, a Radio Liberty correspondent reports.

“I am happy that I am a free person and a free journalist… I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped and supported me during my time in prison. First of all, this is my family, Radio Liberty, and many people from all over the world… There are still many Ukrainian patriots in russian prisons, who also need to be returned home. And not when their term ends, but much earlier,” Yesypenko said upon his arrival in Prague.

Radio Liberty welcomes Vladyslav‘s release and thanks the governments of the United States and Ukraine for their efforts to bring him home.

“Truth and justice always triumph over evil and arbitrariness. Unfortunately, there are still hundreds of Ukrainian patriots in russian prisons, but I want to assure you that with joint efforts – the state, the non-governmental sector, and the journalistic community – if we are united and work together for one goal, the result will definitely be achieved. And today has demonstrated this. Therefore, we, diplomats, will not give up until every Ukrainian patriot is released from russian prison,” said Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Vasyl Zvarych, who also met Yesypenko at the Prague airport.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told X Network that he met with Yesypenko at Warsaw Airport.

“I was on my way to Brussels, and he was on his way to Prague. I congratulated Vladyslav on his release from russian captivity. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry was among those who relentlessly demanded Vladyslav‘s release, insisting on it in all possible international forums. Now that he is free, I was happy to congratulate him personally. I also congratulate Radio Liberty on his release. Vladyslav‘s story demonstrates how important the fight for justice is,” the minister wrote.

Earlier, Radio Liberty President Steven Kapus also welcomed the release of journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko from russian imprisonment, stating that “for more than four years, Vlad has been arbitrarily punished for a crime he did not commit.”

“He paid a high price for exposing the truth about what was happening in russian-occupied Crimea. He was tortured, both physically and psychologically, for this. As we celebrate his joyful reunion with his wife Kateryna and their young daughter Stefania, we cannot ignore the pain inflicted on this family by the russian authorities. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty expresses its deep gratitude to the governments of the United States and Ukraine for working with us to prevent Vlad’s continued unjust imprisonment. We also thank the global community of press freedom defenders for their tireless advocacy on behalf of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s dedicated journalists,” Kapus noted.

The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) has been systematically demanding the release of the illegally convicted journalist since 2021.

“I am glad that the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine has repeatedly raised its voice in support of Vladyslav. He became the laureate of our National Prize for the Protection of Freedom of Speech, named after Ihor Lubchenko. We published his materials even from captivity, and we believed in his return. And in the Union on Khreshchatyk we have repeatedly sincerely welcomed his wife Kateryna Yesypenko and daughter Stefania,” writes the President of the NUJU, Sergiy Tomilenko.

Vladyslav Yesypenko is a freelance journalist (freelancer) of the Krym.Realii project (Radio Liberty). He covered social and environmental problems in Crimea, filmed street interviews and reports about life on the annexed peninsula. On March 10, 2021, Yesypenko was detained by russian FSB officers on charges of collecting information “in the interests of Ukrainian special services” and storing a “homemade explosive device” in a car.

For 27 days, independent lawyers were not allowed to see the journalist. At the same time, the state-run TV channel Crimea 24 published an interview with Yesypenko, in which he confirmed that he worked for the Krym.Realii project.

In 2022, a russian-controlled court in Crimea sentenced Yesypenko to five years in prison and a fine of RUB 110,000. The russian prosecutor’s office had demanded 11 years for him. Yesypenko himself stated in court that russian security forces tortured him, including with electric shock, to extract confessions.

Human rights organizations, the NUJU, and the management of Radio Liberty have repeatedly demanded the journalist’s release.

During his imprisonment, Yesypenko became the laureate of several prestigious awards: the Free Media Award (2022), the Freedom to Write Award from PEN America (2022), the NUJU National Award named after Igor Lubchenko, and also received the Levko Lukyanenko State Scholarship, which is awarded to Ukrainian political prisoners.

NUJU Information Service