Russia sentenced to 25 years in a colony. Mariupol defender Andriy Bohdan returned from captivity.

95 Ukrainian defenders returned from captivity

On October 18, 95 Ukrainian defenders returned from Russian captivity. Among them is Mariupol defender Andriy Bohdan. This was reported by the Mariupol City Council.

It is noted that Andriy Bohdan is from Kovel, joined the ranks of 'Azov' in 2019. He met the full-scale invasion in Mariupol.

The soldier participated in the battles for Mariupol and the defense of 'Azovstal'. He last contacted his mother Svitlana on May 15, 2022. In August 2023, the so-called 'DPR court' sentenced him to 25 years in a colony.

"The defender was held captive for 29 months. Mother Svitlana Bohdan delivered a speech at the UN in Geneva, where she talked about her son and wrote letters to the Vatican. And finally, the son has returned!", they said in the city council.

Recall that on October 18, 95 Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home. 'The peculiarity of this exchange is that many Ukrainians return home who received so-called 'sentences' from the judiciary of the aggressor country and were 'convicted': 28 – to long terms, and 20 – to life imprisonment for defending their land from the aggressor', said in the statement of the Coordination Headquarters.

Human rights defender and Azov fighters released

By the way, on October 18, the human rights defender, journalist, activist, and co-founder of the Human Rights Center Zmina Maksym Butkevych was released from Russian captivity. His father reported this to Zmina. 

Also, 34 fighters of 'Azov' returned from Russian captivity: 'In times of heavy battles, such news gives strength and lifts the morale of the 12th brigade 'Azov'. Another 34 servicemen of 'Azov' returned to Ukraine from Russian captivity. These warriors defended Mariupol for 86 days, withdrew from the territory of 'Azovstal' by order and spent two and a half years in Russian captivity. Thanks to the fighters of the Mariupol garrison, Ukraine withstood the first blow in the spring of 2022.'