Russian Forces Abduct Kherson Rescuer Oleh Vakhterov, Sentenced to 10 Years

Russian occupants abducted Kherson resident Oleh Vakhterov from his apartment on March 19, 2022. He was held in the seized premises of the National Police in Kherson, then transferred to the occupied Sevastopol, and later to the Russian city of Surovikino. In January 2023, he was illegally sentenced to 10 years in prison on trumped-up charges of "espionage".

This was reported by ZMINA with reference to his sister Olga Vakhterova.

Before the war, Oleh worked as a rescuer in the Kherson emergency rescue service "Hokars". After the invasion, he joined the 124th Brigade of the TRO and helped the military by collecting spare parts and weapons from damaged vehicles.

On March 19, Russians together with the FSB broke into his apartment, put a bag over his head and took him to an unknown location. The occupants searched the apartment, took money, documents and belongings, and later tried to rob it.

Vakhterov was initially held in a Kherson detention center, where he was beaten, his ribs were broken, and he was tortured with electric shocks. In April 2022, he was transferred to occupied Sevastopol, where he was kept in a military barracks. There he helped wounded prisoners.

Later, he was transferred to Surovikino, Volgograd region, where he was held in harsh conditions, almost constantly in a punishment cell.

In January 2023, the Russians sentenced Vakhterov to 10 years in prison for "espionage" only because of his participation in the resistance movement.

His family hopes that he will be included in the exchange list.

"He defended his country, and now he is in prison. We are waiting for his return," says sister Olha.

Recently, the World recognized the documentary about the crimes in Kherson region among the top investigations in Ukraine.

The world press also recognized the work of Ukrainian photographer Mark Ivkov. His photo from the Kherson region was included in CNN's selection of the best photos of the year. The photo, taken on October 27, shows Ukrainian defenders actively preparing for battle, demonstrating resilience and courage in the face of a difficult war.

Meanwhile, a photo of the Kherson Yacht Club won first place in the Kherson region in the 2023 Wiki Loves Monuments photo contest of cultural heritage sites.

And a photo from the Askania Nova Biosphere Reserve, located in the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson region, was among the top ten best photos of Ukraine according to the results of the Ukrainian part of the international photo contest Wiki Loves Earth in 2024.

Андрій Колісніченко