Ukrainian Soldier Released From Separatist Prison

Russia-backed militants in Ukraine’s occupied east have released Private First Class Roman Savkov, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced. Savkov, who served in the 92nd Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was captured during a battle outside Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region in July 2017.

It is unclear why militants have chosen to release a prisoner at this time. However, it could be related to complications during his capture and detention.

Roman Savkov exits an ambulance after his release. Photo: Smeshchuk Ruslan/Facebook

Savkov was captured during a battle in which a famous separatist commander known as “Kupol” was killed. Representatives from the militant side contacted Savkov’s father immediately after his capture to discuss an exchange in an attempt to cover up “Kupol’s” death.

Soldier Vadym Kryhin, who was the deputy commander of the battalion that took part in this battle, told Hromadske about the circumstances surrounding this abortive exchange:

“There were talks, initially they proposed to exchange our prisoner for four of their deceased, just so no one would know that one of them was their legendary commander 'Kupol.' They didn’t want to announce his death, so that everything remained secret, but then they dropped  the issue.”

Savkov also suffers from health problems, which may have accelerated his release. Ukrainian soldier Mykola Herasymenko, who was released in the large-scale prisoner exchange on December 27, 2017, commented on Savkov’s deteriorating health in an interview with Ukrainian media.

Read More: Bringing Them Home — Inside Ukraine's Prisoner Exchange

“He has high blood sugar levels. He began to lose weight rapidly. He was not taken to the infirmary. Then he virtually could not stand up, so the guys sounded the alarm, the medics came, they took him to the infirmary on a stretcher,” Herasymenko said. “Tests showed that he had high sugar levels. I heard that in the infirmary they said that, until he is cured, he will not be exchanged. But they could not treat him. He must be pulled out of there and quickly. I said this to Poroshenko.”

Following the December 27 prisoner exchange — in which separatists released 73 Ukrainian prisoners in exchange for 233 captives from the self-proclaimed “Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics” — the newly released prisoners mentioned Savkov’s condition in an interview in Horlivka, Donetsk region before they boarded the bus to the airport.

“They inject him with one and a half units of insulin four times a day and he is fed four times a day. But how do they feed him? I have a pig at home who eats better,” the newly released soldiers said.

The soldiers also informed Poroshenko personally of Savkov’s situation during the flight back to Kyiv.

Upon Roman Savkov’s release, the Ukrainian president stated that he had given the order for Savkov to receive the necessary medical treatment.

“I have just personally greeted Roman Savkov, the Private First Class of the 92nd Brigade released from prison, who was captured outside Krasnohorivka… I have instructed [the authorities] to carry out the necessary medical examinations and treatment,” President Poroshenko wrote on Twitter.

/by Sofia Fedeczko