Ukrainian journalist Hlukhovska held in Russian captivity for almost three years; she went on hunger strike once
Ukrainian journalist Anastasiia Hlukhovska, who was abducted by Russian security forces in temporarily occupied Melitopol in August 2023, has been held in a pre-trial detention centre in the Russian town of Kizel, Perm Krai. She went on hunger strike on one occasion.
Source: RIA-Pivden, a local media outlet; Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Head of Ukrainian Parliamentary Committee on Freedom of Speech
Details: RIA-Pivden reported, citing Hlukhovska's relatives and testimony from former prisoners, that she went on hunger strike after being transferred from Taganrog to Kizel.
Journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity, was also transferred to this detention centre.
Quote from Hlukhovska's sister: "The rules in this prison are very strict. Prisoners are not allowed to sit or lie down in their cells during the day. Because of this, Anastasiia's chronic condition, endometriosis, was compounded by problems with swelling in her legs. A prisoner who was recently exchanged said he saw Anastasiia in the yard while the grounds were being cleaned. In general, men and women are held separately there. But that day everyone was taken outside. He saw Nastia. She is alive and that is the main thing.
Another prisoner said Nastia works in the sewing workshop at the Russian pre-trial detention centre. She previously went on hunger strike. But the reason is unknown. After the Russians tortured journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna and Yevhen Matvieiev, the mayor of [the Ukrainian town of] Dniprorudne, to death, inspections began at the detention centre. After that, prisoners were even given bedding and better food."
More details: Hlukhovska has been held for 2 years and 10 months without being formally charged. On 20 August 2023, Russian security forces carried out a raid in the Russian-occupied Melitopol.
RIA-Pivden reported that the Russians abducted and detained not only Hlukhovska but also Heorhii Levchenko, an administrator of RIA Melitopol, a local Telegram channel, and the administrators of the Telegram chat Melitopol Is Ukraine. They were later accused of cooperating with Ukrainian intelligence and sentenced to between 14 and 26 years in prison.
RIA-Pivden reported, citing information obtained from an interview with a woman, who is a former prisoner deported by the Russians from Melitopol, that Anastasiia had initially been held in a storage building at the Ruslan Komplekt plant. The woman said she had been tortured there with electric shocks. Later, Anastasiia was held in the Pryazovske pre-trial detention centre. She was then transferred to Russia, to a pre-trial detention centre in Taganrog.
Yaroslav Yurchyshyn said it is virtually impossible to include Hlukhovska on prisoner exchange lists because Russia does not admit that it is holding civilians.
Quote from Yurchyshyn: "Anastasiia has been held behind bars in the town of Kizel, Perm Krai, Russia, since 2025. This is the same prison where the Russians killed Viktoriia Roshchyna and Yevhen Matvieiev, the mayor of Dniprorudne. You remember that Vika also went on hunger strike. It ended in a horrific death in captivity...
It is virtually impossible to include Anastasiia Hlukhovska on an exchange list. Russia simply does not admit that it is holding her captive because it does not want to acknowledge that it imprisons civilians. Russia has already killed two Ukrainian civilians in this detention centre, and this list may grow.
The only way forward is publicity and global pressure on Russia. I urge our international partners to get involved and do everything possible to ensure that Anastasiia and our other media workers are released."
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