“Captivity kills even after release”: The aftereffects of torture stopped the heart of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Savov
Source: Frontliner
Authors: Artem Derkachov, Tetiana Kreker
“Captivity kills even after release”: The aftereffects of torture stopped the heart of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Savov
After returning from captivity, he fought the consequences of Russian torture—broken ribs, sores on his body, and other injuries—until the very end. He also struggled with nightmares, a fear of silence, and memories of what he had endured. On November 16, 2025, the heart of Oleksandr Savov, a soldier in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, stopped beating. His daughter, Anastasia Savova, spoke to Frontliner reporters about what led to his death and why captivity can be deadly even at home.
“Captivity kills even after release,” wrote Anastasia Savova on November 16, 2025, when her father’s heart stopped beating.
Oleksandr Savov spent 2 years and 10 months in Russian captivity after leaving “Azovstal” in besieged Mariupol. He returned home in March 2025, but the effects of torture and chronic illnesses proved too much for him. What had not broken him in the Taganrog pretrial detention center or the penal colonies in Kursk, Olenivka, and Mordovia ultimately took his life after his return.
The daughter and mother of the late Marine Oleksandr Savov during the funeral
service The funeral ceremony for Oleksandr Savov, Mykolaiv, Ukraine, November 20, 2025. Tetyana Kreker / Frontliner
“Captivity kills even after release”: The aftermath of torture stopped the heart of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Savov
The farewell ceremony for Oleksandr Savov, Mykolaiv, Ukraine, November 20, 2025. Tetyana Kreker / Frontliner
He was physically returned from captivity, but a part of his soul still remained there, his daughter says.
“His mental state was very poor after his return; in recent months, he felt uneasy if someone stood behind him, for example, in line. During air raid alerts and heavy shelling, he couldn’t sleep. He also often complained about the horrors of captivity that he saw in his dreams. Perhaps we brought him back from captivity physically, but a part of his soul still remains there,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Why did the Marine’s heart stop?
After his release, according to his daughter, Oleksandr spent almost all his time visiting hospitals and rehabilitation centers. He treated ulcers that had developed while he was in prison, had his knocked-out teeth replaced, had his broken ribs set, and dealt with the effects of chronic exhaustion.
But mental recovery became a struggle of its own for him. Silence frightened him more than any sound. While waiting in line to see doctors, he couldn’t sit still and would pace nervously down the hallway, as if awaiting another inspection. Anxiety attacks would strike suddenly and for no apparent reason. So, to cope with his thoughts, Oleksandr, following Anastasia’s advice, began keeping a journal. In it, he documented his memories of captivity and his personal experiences.
He went through a great deal and provided a great deal of important testimony to our intelligence agencies.
“We documented his story for the International Criminal Court so that, in time, the whole world would officially learn about the horrors of Russian torture chambers. “I would like the memory of my father to live on; he went through so much and provided a great deal of important testimony to our intelligence agencies,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Doctors cited heart failure as the cause of Oleksandr’s death. He died in an apartment in Kyiv, where he had been living since his release. The defender’s body was transported with full honors to Mykolaiv, where the Savov family had previously lived.
Captivity changed both father and daughter
Back then, in 2022, Anastasia didn’t yet know that her father’s captivity would change her life. From that day on, she founded a community for the families of captive marines.
My father’s captivity became a part of my life.
“This is something that will stay with me forever. It’s the trauma I’ll pass on to my children; it’s what I want to tell the whole world. While he was in captivity, Dad didn’t even know that I was there with him. And now I carry within me everything that happened to him—all his pain, all his trauma, all his suffering—because it’s simply impossible to do otherwise,” shared his daughter, Anastasia Savova, during an interview.
Neither after her father’s return nor after his death did Anastasia stop caring for the community where people share common problems and concerns. She studied every story, answered dozens of calls, and explained to relatives where to write and whom to call.
When Silence Is Impossible
Despite the Coordination Headquarters’ recommendation not to disclose details about detention conditions, Anastasia was never afraid to speak about her father’s captivity and asked him not to remain silent about his experiences either. After all, she is convinced that when crimes are exposed, the abuse in Russian prisons lessens for a while.
“When my father was being prepared for an exchange, the other prisoners urged him not to be afraid to tell the truth. Many people say that those who remain there are beaten more severely because of this truth. In fact, the guys who were returned told me that they do get beaten for a day or two, but then the overall conditions of their detention improve. After all, the Russians are afraid to do this when they know people are talking about it and that it’s being brought into the public sphere,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova, during an interview.
In Memory of Her Father
Oleksandr had said more than once that after his treatment, he dreamed of traveling to Latvia—a country Anastasia often talked about after her business trips. She shared how people there receive support after trauma and how former prisoners of war are helped to return to normal life. That’s why her husband believed that a trip there could help him. But, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Oleksandr passed away, and their shared plans remain a cherished memory for Anastasia. But the most precious memory for her today is the time she spent with her father. She cherishes these moments both in her memory and in the photos and videos that journalists took while working on stories about their family.
I’m glad I was able to introduce you to my father,
“You took such wonderful photos of us. Because I was always working, putting this off, wanting a photo shoot like this. And I’m glad I now have these photos with my dad, because we haven’t been photographed together since. You know, the Russians tell the guys over there: ‘When you come back, your heart will be a rag, and you’ll be working just to pay for medicine.’ And I understand that the only thing we really need to prioritize right now—each and every one of us—and this will be a kind of victory for us, is supporting those who are returning,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Anastasia believes that today everyone must make an effort and be a voice for those who remain in Russian captivity; every missing person must be found, and the bodies of the fallen must be properly buried to pay them their last respects. For her, these are not abstract words, but a daily goal that drives her work. At the same time, she urges everyone not to stand idly by, but to support the families, speak out about the prisoners of war, spread the truth, and help those returning from the war.
Authors: Artem Derkachov, Tetiana Kreker
“Captivity kills even after release”: The aftereffects of torture stopped the heart of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Savov
After returning from captivity, he fought the consequences of Russian torture—broken ribs, sores on his body, and other injuries—until the very end. He also struggled with nightmares, a fear of silence, and memories of what he had endured. On November 16, 2025, the heart of Oleksandr Savov, a soldier in the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, stopped beating. His daughter, Anastasia Savova, spoke to Frontliner reporters about what led to his death and why captivity can be deadly even at home.
“Captivity kills even after release,” wrote Anastasia Savova on November 16, 2025, when her father’s heart stopped beating.
Oleksandr Savov spent 2 years and 10 months in Russian captivity after leaving “Azovstal” in besieged Mariupol. He returned home in March 2025, but the effects of torture and chronic illnesses proved too much for him. What had not broken him in the Taganrog pretrial detention center or the penal colonies in Kursk, Olenivka, and Mordovia ultimately took his life after his return.
The daughter and mother of the late Marine Oleksandr Savov during the funeral
service The funeral ceremony for Oleksandr Savov, Mykolaiv, Ukraine, November 20, 2025. Tetyana Kreker / Frontliner
“Captivity kills even after release”: The aftermath of torture stopped the heart of Mariupol defender Oleksandr Savov
The farewell ceremony for Oleksandr Savov, Mykolaiv, Ukraine, November 20, 2025. Tetyana Kreker / Frontliner
He was physically returned from captivity, but a part of his soul still remained there, his daughter says.
“His mental state was very poor after his return; in recent months, he felt uneasy if someone stood behind him, for example, in line. During air raid alerts and heavy shelling, he couldn’t sleep. He also often complained about the horrors of captivity that he saw in his dreams. Perhaps we brought him back from captivity physically, but a part of his soul still remains there,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Why did the Marine’s heart stop?
After his release, according to his daughter, Oleksandr spent almost all his time visiting hospitals and rehabilitation centers. He treated ulcers that had developed while he was in prison, had his knocked-out teeth replaced, had his broken ribs set, and dealt with the effects of chronic exhaustion.
But mental recovery became a struggle of its own for him. Silence frightened him more than any sound. While waiting in line to see doctors, he couldn’t sit still and would pace nervously down the hallway, as if awaiting another inspection. Anxiety attacks would strike suddenly and for no apparent reason. So, to cope with his thoughts, Oleksandr, following Anastasia’s advice, began keeping a journal. In it, he documented his memories of captivity and his personal experiences.
He went through a great deal and provided a great deal of important testimony to our intelligence agencies.
“We documented his story for the International Criminal Court so that, in time, the whole world would officially learn about the horrors of Russian torture chambers. “I would like the memory of my father to live on; he went through so much and provided a great deal of important testimony to our intelligence agencies,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Doctors cited heart failure as the cause of Oleksandr’s death. He died in an apartment in Kyiv, where he had been living since his release. The defender’s body was transported with full honors to Mykolaiv, where the Savov family had previously lived.
Captivity changed both father and daughter
Back then, in 2022, Anastasia didn’t yet know that her father’s captivity would change her life. From that day on, she founded a community for the families of captive marines.
My father’s captivity became a part of my life.
“This is something that will stay with me forever. It’s the trauma I’ll pass on to my children; it’s what I want to tell the whole world. While he was in captivity, Dad didn’t even know that I was there with him. And now I carry within me everything that happened to him—all his pain, all his trauma, all his suffering—because it’s simply impossible to do otherwise,” shared his daughter, Anastasia Savova, during an interview.
Neither after her father’s return nor after his death did Anastasia stop caring for the community where people share common problems and concerns. She studied every story, answered dozens of calls, and explained to relatives where to write and whom to call.
When Silence Is Impossible
Despite the Coordination Headquarters’ recommendation not to disclose details about detention conditions, Anastasia was never afraid to speak about her father’s captivity and asked him not to remain silent about his experiences either. After all, she is convinced that when crimes are exposed, the abuse in Russian prisons lessens for a while.
“When my father was being prepared for an exchange, the other prisoners urged him not to be afraid to tell the truth. Many people say that those who remain there are beaten more severely because of this truth. In fact, the guys who were returned told me that they do get beaten for a day or two, but then the overall conditions of their detention improve. After all, the Russians are afraid to do this when they know people are talking about it and that it’s being brought into the public sphere,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova, during an interview.
In Memory of Her Father
Oleksandr had said more than once that after his treatment, he dreamed of traveling to Latvia—a country Anastasia often talked about after her business trips. She shared how people there receive support after trauma and how former prisoners of war are helped to return to normal life. That’s why her husband believed that a trip there could help him. But, unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Oleksandr passed away, and their shared plans remain a cherished memory for Anastasia. But the most precious memory for her today is the time she spent with her father. She cherishes these moments both in her memory and in the photos and videos that journalists took while working on stories about their family.
I’m glad I was able to introduce you to my father,
“You took such wonderful photos of us. Because I was always working, putting this off, wanting a photo shoot like this. And I’m glad I now have these photos with my dad, because we haven’t been photographed together since. You know, the Russians tell the guys over there: ‘When you come back, your heart will be a rag, and you’ll be working just to pay for medicine.’ And I understand that the only thing we really need to prioritize right now—each and every one of us—and this will be a kind of victory for us, is supporting those who are returning,” says his daughter, Anastasia Savova.
Anastasia believes that today everyone must make an effort and be a voice for those who remain in Russian captivity; every missing person must be found, and the bodies of the fallen must be properly buried to pay them their last respects. For her, these are not abstract words, but a daily goal that drives her work. At the same time, she urges everyone not to stand idly by, but to support the families, speak out about the prisoners of war, spread the truth, and help those returning from the war.
This is an automatic translation generated by DeepL.