Ukrainian citizen 26 years old Yevhen Kalashnykov from occupied Novoazovsk in Donetsk oblast has been kept in Ukrainian captivity for over three years. In autumn 2022, Russian occupants arrested him for his pro-Ukrainian position and, as persecution, mobilized him into Russian troops invading Ukraine. Kalashnykov almost immediately surrendered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In summer 2023, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv cancelled criminal investigation about him and ordered his immediate release. But this order has not been fulfilled: Yevhen Kalashnykov has been still detained in the Ukrainian camp for prisoners of war. It is explained by drawbacks of the Ukrainian legislation. For the fifth year of the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, the Ukrainian decision makers have not yet developed mechanism to release Ukrainian citizen, prisoners of war, surrendered to Ukraine under “I want to live” project, before the completion of the war. Meanwhile, Russian citizens, prisoners of war, have been regularly exchanged and returned to Russia.
“Mama, it is my flag, it is my entrance permit for Ukraine”
While growing up in his native Novoazovsk in Donetsk oblast, occupied since 2014 by Russians, Yevhen Kalashnykov did not hide his pro-Ukrainian views. At the beginning of the Russian full scale invasion into Ukraine, he launched anti-Russian Telegram channel “Funerals of our future”. In October 2022, Russian law enforcement bodies illegally arrested and detained him.
Svitlana Kalashnykova, the mother of Yevhen, told the CJI that her son went by the bridge in Novoazovsk guarded by Russians.
“Russian soldier stopped him, checked his mobile phone, found a lot of pro-Ukrainian materials and called the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). FSB people detained and brought him to Mariupol. They have inquired, beaten and threatened him for two days. Then, they brought him home and did the search in the house. They allowed him to take some personal stuff with him. He chose white T-shirt and then wore it everywhere. He told: “Mama, it is my flag. It is my entrance permit for Ukraine. He was going to surrender to Ukrainian troops even at that time”, as recalls Svitlana Kalashnykova.
As the punishment, Russian occupants forced Yevhen Kalashnykov to sign contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense and enlist with Russian troops invading Ukraine. Everything was done in accordance with best traditions of the Russian propaganda: Yevhen was forced to participate in video and say “words of repentance” before Russians. The video was then widely broadcast in social media.
Screenshot of Russian propagandist report about Yevhen Kalashnykov, December 8, 2022
Consequently, Solomyansky District Court of Kyiv ruled that Yevhen’s arrest by FSB, psychological pressure related to his pro-Ukrainian views and forced participation in the propagandist video demonstrated that he committed the crime against the national security of Ukraine under extreme circumstances. The ruling closed criminal investigation against him.
Meanwhile, Yevhen was waiting for the opportunity to surrender to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as his mother told. He knew about Ukrainian project “I want to live” which provides an opportunity for Russian soldiers to voluntary surrender and save their lives. Yevhen hoped that this project would give him a chance to become again full-fledged citizen of Ukraine.
