Igor Steblevsky's Year in Captivity: How the Russians Alternately Acknowledge and Deny the Detention of the Ukrainian
Source: MIPL
Author: Artur Prikhnо
Last spring, when Russian troops entered the Kyiv region and occupied dozens of towns and villages, they began abducting local residents en masse. The fate of many remains unknown.
One of those abducted was Ihor Steblevskyi—a man who went to a field hospital to accompany his wounded wife but never returned. He was taken by the Russians and transported to Russian territory.
Using Igor’s story as an example, we highlight the cynicism of Russian officials, who over the course of a year have alternately confirmed and denied the illegal detention of civilians in their prisons.
He couldn’t leave his wounded wife alone with the Russians
When Russia invaded the Kyiv region in February 2022, Igor and his wife found themselves in different locations. To reach Gostomel, where Lyudmila was, Igor set out on foot from Irpin. At a checkpoint, the Russians stopped him and broke his phone. But they eventually let him go.
“At first,” says Lyudmila’s sister, Olena Fedorchuk, “they planned to leave. But that was risky—the Russians were shelling convoys carrying civilians. And even though there were almost no living conditions left—no gas, no electricity, no food—they decided to wait for the Kyiv region to be liberated.”
To survive under these difficult conditions, Lyudmila teamed up with her neighbors—they would go outside and cook meals near the building entrances. Dozens of Russian paratroopers who lived nearby were walking around.
On March 22, shelling occurred. Lyudmila was seriously wounded in the legs. The Russians took her to a field hospital, but Igor couldn’t leave his wife alone—he went with her and the Russian soldiers.
However, on the way, at one of the checkpoints, Igor was detained and sent to a “filtration camp.” That is how he ended up in captivity.
He, like dozens of other civilians from the Kyiv region, was first taken to the Hostomel airport. They were held in deactivated freezers. Then they were taken to Belarus, and from there to Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in the city of Novozybkov, Bryansk Oblast, Russia. This information comes from prisoners from the Kyiv region who were later exchanged.
Sometimes they confirm it, sometimes they deny
it For nearly a year now, Igor’s family has been fighting for his release. To do so, they need official confirmation from the Russian authorities that he is being held in one of the correctional facilities on Russian territory. Obtaining such confirmation is extremely difficult.
It was only last November that Igor’s son received a response from the Russian Ministry of Defense stating that Igor had been detained for “obstructing a special military operation,” but no information was provided regarding his place of detention.
In December, the Russian Ministry of Defense changed its position, noting that it had no information regarding Igor Steblevsky’s detention on Russian territory and advising the family to contact the “Ministry of Justice of the ‘DPR’.”
His family did not stop there and received several more responses. One of them, from the “Crimean Human Rights Commissioner,” confirmed that Igor had been detained in March of last year, at which time his fingerprints were taken. This took place at Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in Novozybkov.
It should be noted that a response was also received from the so-called “Ministry of Justice” of the pseudo-republic. It states that Igor Steblevsky is not being held there.
Such behavior by the official authorities of the aggressor country indicates a reluctance to acknowledge the detention of a civilian, which constitutes a war crime. However, his family continues to fight for Igor’s release.
Author: Artur Prikhnо
Last spring, when Russian troops entered the Kyiv region and occupied dozens of towns and villages, they began abducting local residents en masse. The fate of many remains unknown.
One of those abducted was Ihor Steblevskyi—a man who went to a field hospital to accompany his wounded wife but never returned. He was taken by the Russians and transported to Russian territory.
Using Igor’s story as an example, we highlight the cynicism of Russian officials, who over the course of a year have alternately confirmed and denied the illegal detention of civilians in their prisons.
He couldn’t leave his wounded wife alone with the Russians
When Russia invaded the Kyiv region in February 2022, Igor and his wife found themselves in different locations. To reach Gostomel, where Lyudmila was, Igor set out on foot from Irpin. At a checkpoint, the Russians stopped him and broke his phone. But they eventually let him go.
“At first,” says Lyudmila’s sister, Olena Fedorchuk, “they planned to leave. But that was risky—the Russians were shelling convoys carrying civilians. And even though there were almost no living conditions left—no gas, no electricity, no food—they decided to wait for the Kyiv region to be liberated.”
To survive under these difficult conditions, Lyudmila teamed up with her neighbors—they would go outside and cook meals near the building entrances. Dozens of Russian paratroopers who lived nearby were walking around.
On March 22, shelling occurred. Lyudmila was seriously wounded in the legs. The Russians took her to a field hospital, but Igor couldn’t leave his wife alone—he went with her and the Russian soldiers.
However, on the way, at one of the checkpoints, Igor was detained and sent to a “filtration camp.” That is how he ended up in captivity.
He, like dozens of other civilians from the Kyiv region, was first taken to the Hostomel airport. They were held in deactivated freezers. Then they were taken to Belarus, and from there to Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in the city of Novozybkov, Bryansk Oblast, Russia. This information comes from prisoners from the Kyiv region who were later exchanged.
Sometimes they confirm it, sometimes they deny
it For nearly a year now, Igor’s family has been fighting for his release. To do so, they need official confirmation from the Russian authorities that he is being held in one of the correctional facilities on Russian territory. Obtaining such confirmation is extremely difficult.
It was only last November that Igor’s son received a response from the Russian Ministry of Defense stating that Igor had been detained for “obstructing a special military operation,” but no information was provided regarding his place of detention.
In December, the Russian Ministry of Defense changed its position, noting that it had no information regarding Igor Steblevsky’s detention on Russian territory and advising the family to contact the “Ministry of Justice of the ‘DPR’.”
His family did not stop there and received several more responses. One of them, from the “Crimean Human Rights Commissioner,” confirmed that Igor had been detained in March of last year, at which time his fingerprints were taken. This took place at Pretrial Detention Center No. 2 in Novozybkov.
It should be noted that a response was also received from the so-called “Ministry of Justice” of the pseudo-republic. It states that Igor Steblevsky is not being held there.
Such behavior by the official authorities of the aggressor country indicates a reluctance to acknowledge the detention of a civilian, which constitutes a war crime. However, his family continues to fight for Igor’s release.
This is an automatic translation generated by DeepL.