Ukrainian volunteer who travelled to Moscow over son says he is safe and not in Russia

A video has been posted on the social media accounts of Ukrainian volunteer Mykhailo Puryshev, who travelled to Moscow to save his son after being blackmailed by Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB). In the video, he says he is safe and no longer in Russia.

Source: Puryshev on Instagram; Puryshev's team

Quote: "As I record this video, I am safe. I am no longer on the territory of the Russian Federation. I am fine as of 19 August. Not on the territory of Russia."

Details: The video shows Puryshev boarding a plane in Istanbul on 17 August bound for Moscow and arriving at Sheremetyevo airport.

The volunteer thanked human rights organisations, God and everyone who has supported him.

Quote: "I cannot disclose what is happening now or how, in detail, but I can say that when I was there, I felt I had support and I am very grateful to everyone who understood, got involved and helped me. I did not think it would happen this way."

More details: In the video, Puryshev did not say where he is now, what happened in Moscow or what is currently known about his son, but stressed that he cannot speak about everything.

Puryshev's team confirmed to Ukrainska Pravda that the video was recorded by Puryshev himself.

Ukrainska Pravda also contacted the Office of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, human rights defenders and the Security Service of Ukraine, but those bodies have so far declined to comment.

Background:

• On 17 August, Ukrainian volunteer Mykhailo Puryshev said that FSB used his 18-year-old son to blackmail him, prompting Puryshev to travel to Russia in an attempt to save him.
• Puryshev said that on 16 July he had received the first call from the phone number of his 18-year-old son, who lives in Russia with his mother, Mykhailo's ex-wife. The caller introduced himself as "the equivalent of your security service" and tried to force him to disclose the positions of Ukrainian units and foreigners serving in Ukraine's defence forces.

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