As Kyiv marks the anniversary of the prison massacre that killed over 50 Ukrainian POWs, relatives gather not only to mourn but to remind the world: Many are still in Russian captivity.
Mariia
Among the participants was Mariia, whose brother, Petro, had been in Russian captivity for three years and was just returned in a prisoner swap last Wednesday.
“Something joyful has finally happened – though I still haven’t fully processed it. On July 23, my brother was returned to Ukraine. It was completely unexpected,” Mariia told Kyiv Post. “They kept telling me, ‘We’re working on it, we’re working on it, please wait.’ But I had already begun to lose hope.”
“I’ve been visting every single prisoner exchange. I met every returning soldier – because to me, they’re all heroes, all equally deserving to come home. I went to this latest exchange not knowing he would be among them. I got a phone call… and I just dropped to the ground. That was it. Total shock.”
Petro managed to head home just in time for his own birthday, according to Mariia.
Monday evening’s rally featured speeches by family members of those killed and those still in captivity, calling for international attention and renewed efforts to secure the release of remaining Ukrainian POWs.
Tetyana
Another attendee, Tetyana, said her son Artem, a member of the Azov Brigade, survived the Olenivka attack, but is still in captivity.
“I’m here because my son also served in the Azov Brigade. He was taken prisoner, but thankfully, he was not in the barracks that were destroyed. Many of his comrades died there, and I feel I have no right not to come here, not to show support,” she said.
“My son was one of the defenders of Mariupol. He was evacuated from the Azovstal plant in May, and later transferred to Olenivka. He was also an honorary company commander in his unit.”
Tetyana also referenced the ongoing Istanbul talks between Kyiv and Moscow, where POW exchange became one of the few tangible outcomes from the multiple rounds of negotiations.
“I desperately want the promises made during the Istanbul talks to finally be fulfilled. They spoke about returning everyone – all prisoners – but my son is one of those who falls through the cracks. He’s young, born in 2000, but still, they release everyone except the Azov fighters,” she said.
“I want them to release the young ones, the seriously wounded, the gravely ill. By now, after 38 months in captivity, they are all sick and many are severely injured – both physically and mentally.”
Monday’s rally, she said, is also a reminder for those still in captivity that many await their return home.
“This action today is important not only for us, but for them – for the ones still held in captivity. I always believe that somehow they’ll hear about it. Someone will tell them. Sometimes new prisoners arrive and pass on what they know, tell them how many people are still fighting for their return,” Tetyana said.
“I think that gives them strength. And it gives us strength too.”
The commemoration comes amid ongoing efforts by Ukrainian and international human rights groups to document war crimes committed during Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its third year.
While Olenivka stands as a symbol of tragedy, it also highlights the unresolved plight of hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers who remain in Russian captivity.
Family members of the missing and detained continue to gather regularly at rallies in Kyiv and other cities – not only to honor the fallen but to keep alive the visibility of those still imprisoned. Many carry photos, wear regimental insignias, and hold banners with their loved ones’ names, hoping that even a glimpse of such images might reach those behind bars.
For the families, these gatherings are more than commemorations – they are lifelines of hope.
“If they somehow see us, if the men in captivity know we are still here – still waiting, still calling their names – then maybe they’ll hold on just a little longer,” Tetyana said.
Text by Jeremy Dirac
Photos by Chris Sampson