Ukrainian-born prisoner who was assaulted by Chechen leader's son is missing in Russia

A Ukrainian-born man who disappeared during a transfer between prisons has not been heard from since late December 2025. Mykyta Zhuravel, 22, was initially convicted in Russia for burning a Quran and later for alleged treason.

Source: Caucasus. Realities, a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty project, citing Zhuravel's lawyer Andrei Sabinin a formal request by Zhuravel's lawyer Andrei Sabinin to Eva Merkacheva, a member of the Human Rights Council at the Russian president's office

Details: Sabinin said that Zhuravel's family received a letter from the Russian city of Ulyanovsk on 24 December. There have been no further messages from him since then.

Quote from Merkacheva: "Many people remember Mykyta Zhuravel, the young man who, either out of stupidity or at someone's criminal instigation, burned a Quran. A tragic story. [Sentenced to] fourteen years in a penal colony. Beaten up in the pre-trial detention centre.

And now he has disappeared, his family and lawyer say. They also doubt that he is alive. I think he is alive."

More details: Sabinin said he has written to a member of the Human Rights Council, which advises the Russian leader, asking for assistance in finding him.

He added that while Zhuravel was being held at the Volgograd pre-trial detention centre from October 2024 to November 2025, he was unlawfully denied extended visits from his parents.

Background:

• In May 2023, Zhuravel was detained in the Russian city of Volgograd after a video of him burning a Quran was posted on social media.
• The case was then transferred to Chechnya, where he was sentenced to three years and six months in a penal colony in 2024. Zhuravel was later accused of treason and given a prison sentence of 13 years and six months.
• In 2023, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov posted a video of his son Adam assaulting Mykyta Zhuravel. Kadyrov said he was proud of his son's actions.

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