Mother of captive Ukrainian sailor gives interview to Belsat


Almost four months in Russian captivity, psychological pressure and the demand to declare oneself a terrorist. Lyudmila Kostishina, one of the mothers of Ukrainian sailors who were captured by the Russian military in the Kerch Strait, told Belsat about her son Vladislav and the conditions in which they keep his colleagues.

Do sailors know that the media writes about them, that they are being discussed on television, or are they isolated from the world?

At the moment they already know it. They know that the world has not forgotten about them. They know that they are written about in newspapers, they discussed on television, and that the world community remembers them. Although in the beginning they did not know it. They were isolated.

They came to them and said: no one needs you, everyone has forgotten about you. The Russians did this so that our sons started giving the necessary testimony — that they are terrorists and invaders who wanted to capture the Kerch Bridge.

You have now actually told about one of the methods of psychological pressure. And what else is used against the guys? How do the Russian special services treat them?

As I know, there is no physical pressure on them, but there is a psychological one. They are not given letters that are sent from home, and we also do not receive letters from them.

How often Ukrainian sailors are visited by the Ukrainian consul, the ambassador? Is there any opportunity to convey a message through diplomats?

If possible, the consul comes to them once a month, the lawyer comes once or twice a month. With their help, we keep contact with the guys. I ask the consul and the lawyer how the guys are doing there and pass on the information that we have.

We tell them like that: what we we do, where we go. We tell them what rallies are held in their support. All this is communicated through a lawyer and a consul.

What is the Ukrainian state doing to free its sailors from Russian captivity?

They seem to be doing something, but at the moment the sailors have been in captivity for 115 days. Therefore, the authorities have not yet done something decisive for the fate of the guys. But there is good news — one of the prisoners, Vasily Soroka, has been operated on.

He had a hand injury: his shoulder was injured, his tendon was torn. He was in danger of having his arm amputated, but he underwent surgery.

Is there any time limit when sailors can be released? When is the next stage in their fate?

On January 15-16 there were court hearings and they had their stay prolonged until April 4. We do not know yet what will happen next. It is clear that they will conduct a psycho-neurological examination. Although it should not have been done.

Did the leadership of Russia or Ukraine hint at the possibility of exchange?

It was mentioned. But the Russian side reported that those Russians who are imprisoned in Ukraine and who are included in the list for the exchange, they say they simply do not exist. Therefore, now there is no talk about the exchange.

Do you know the mood of your children in captivity? How are they feeling?

They are very positive. After they saw us at the trial in Moscow, they were very surprised. They were surprised that they had such powerful support.

After all, there were Moscow volunteers and Crimean Tatars. They only call themselves prisoners of war. They do not give any evidence in court and adhere to the Geneva Convention.

What steps will you take next to free your children?

Talk, talk and talk about it again. All comes with the will of God. And soon our guys will be free.

belsat.eu

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