Crimean political prisoner tells about tea with a general of Russian special services

The journalist spent more than four years in Russian detention after being accused of spying in Crimea. He survived torture, psychological pressure and recruitment attempts, but returned to mainland Ukraine alive thanks to the publicity of his case and international support.

Vladyslav Yesypenko shared the details of his captivity with Crimea.Realities Yesypenko after his release from the Kerch colony and return to mainland Ukraine.

A former businessman from Kryvyi Rih and freelancer for Krym.Realii, he spent more than four years in Russian custody after being accused of "espionage". Human rights organizations have recognized him as a political prisoner. Despite numerous international campaigns in his support, the journalist was released only after serving his full sentence.

Yesypenko's cooperation with the media began in 2017, when he offered to work in the annexed Crimea, explaining that it was important for him to document the realities of the peninsula. According to the journalist, after his detention, the FSB threatened him with death, used electric shocks, beatings and psychological pressure, and tried to force him to cooperate and confess. Even the lawyer appointed by the investigation advised him to make a deal to ease his detention, but Yesypenko refused.

The journalist says that after leaving the Kerch colony, he was accompanied by lawyers, and then returned to mainland Ukraine via Adler, Yerevan and Prague.

"My emotions were overwhelming, it felt like a second birth," he recalls.

"During his imprisonment, they tried to force him to give an interview to Russian-controlled channels, where he was supposed to confess to working for the Ukrainian special services, which Yesypenko denies.

The journalist also recalled meetings with an FSB general over tea and sweets, during which he was hinted at the possibility of a reduced sentence for cooperation. Despite the pressure, Yesypenko maintained his independence and did not agree to be recruited, which, according to him, became possible due to the publicity of the case.

He emphasized that media coverage helped him survive, as the attention of Ukrainian and international media deterred Russian security forces from taking drastic actions. After his return, Yesypenko met with his family and colleagues in Kyiv, noting that the feeling of freedom and returning home is impossible to put into words.

In early August, journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko, who had spent more than four years in Russian captivity, returned to Ukraine. He was met at the Kyiv railway station by colleagues and human rights activists, and said that he was planning to undergo medical treatment and return to work.

Yesypenko was released on June 20 after being imprisoned in the occupied Crimea, then he was in Prague for rehabilitation and arrived in Kyiv on August 1. The journalist was detained by the FSB on March 10, 2021, accusing him of so-called espionage and possession of explosives; in court, he spoke about the torture used by security forces to extract confessions.

Анна Бальчінос