Story 23: Andrii

Andrii, a 17-year-old, lived in the village of Bohorodytske in the Mykolaiv region with his parents, elder brother, and sister. The city was swiftly occupied by Russian forces in the early days of the full-scale invasion. In August 2022, Russian occupying troops broke into the family’s house early in the morning. They placed black bags over Andrii’s and his brother’s heads and kidnapped them. Andrii recalls being taken to the Kherson region and placed in a narrow room with only one small window.

He and his brother endured relentless interrogations, repeatedly questioned about the Ukrainian army. The Russian captors suspected Andrii of aiding Ukrainian soldiers and might have resorted to physical coercion during these interrogations, although he remains reticent about the specifics.

A month later, the teenager and his brother were eventually released. At the age of 17, Andrii went through an ordeal and chose to keep the details of his month in Russian captivity to himself, unable or unwilling to share the harrowing experiences he endured.