Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner says Ukrainian doctor illegally imprisoned by Russians is critically ill

Ihor Kirianenko, a civilian being illegally held hostage by the Russian Federation, is in poor health and needs immediate medical care.

This was reported by the Office of the Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman), Dmytro Lubinets.

The 61-year-old doctor and businessman from temporarily occupied Donetsk was detained by separatists five years ago. 

"During the illegal detention, he suffered a myocardial infarction and a stroke and lost all his teeth. He was later transferred to the sixth department in the basement of the Donetsk pre-trial detention centre, where tuberculosis patients were kept for many years," the Ombudsman's Office stated.

Photo from the Ombudsman's page

Three years ago, Ihor Kirianenko was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by the occupation authorities for his pro-Ukrainian views. He is currently being held in Makiivka maximum-security penal colony No. 32.

After his heart attack, Kirianenko's health deteriorated significantly. He suffered cyanosis of the limbs and swelling, and his jaw is deformed due to the loss of his teeth.

"Ihor Kirianenko's state of health is critical because his chronic diseases (a pancreatic tumour, diabetes mellitus and Oddi's sphincter deficiency, among others) have worsened," the Office of the Commissioner reports.

Kirianenko was injured during shelling in 2022 and began to experience severe pain in his heart and leg.

According to Dmytro Lubinets, Ihor Kirianenko currently needs heart surgery. The operation can only be carried out in a cardiac surgery department, otherwise there is a risk of death.

"It's clear that the Russians are concealing the Ukrainian’s critical condition from international organisations and not allowing any representatives to see him. And they are not providing him with the medical care he needs themselves either," the Ombudsman says.

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