Young patriot from Kherson region kidnapped by Russians and sentenced to 11 years

20-year-old Kyrylo Rozumey from the temporarily occupied Kherson region was sentenced in Russia to 11 years in a maximum security colony. He was abducted by the Russian military at the age of 18 when he openly demonstrated his pro-Ukrainian position. He was accused of espionage because of a message on his phone where he mocked the occupiers.

This was reported on the UNITED24 platform.

Kyrylo lived in a village in the Kherson region, which was occupied by Russian troops after the full-scale invasion. Despite the risks, he remained loyal to Ukraine. He was repeatedly seen with Ukrainian symbols and was known for his outspoken anti-Russian stance.

Photo: UNITED24 screenshot.

In March 2023, Kirill was detained by the occupiers. A local collaborator, a village "starosta" appointed by the occupation forces, took part in his detention. He was accused of espionage after messages criticizing the Russian army were found on his phone.

After his detention, Kyrylo was kept in a torture cell, a standard practice for Russians in the occupied territories. In these basements, detainees are interrogated, beaten and kept in inhumane conditions.

The guy's family tried to find out where he was, but the occupiers did not say anything. Kyrylo's grandmother appealed to them several times, asking to be allowed to see her grandson. Instead, she was threatened with an assault rifle.

When the Russian military blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectricpower plant on June 6, 2023, many villages were under water. To avoid flooding the torture chambers, the occupiers evacuated the detainees to the territory of Russia. Kyrylo was among those who were secretly taken away.

The family searched for Kirill for 18 months. Eventually, the boy was found in a prison in the Rostov region of Russia. The boy's sister reported that he was being abused in the colony, and his health had deteriorated significantly.

Recently, Kherson activist and volunteer Iryna Gorobtsova, who was kidnapped by Russians and illegally tried in Crimea, wrote a letter from the pre-trial detention center. The woman complained about her serious health condition and lack of medical care.

Ірина Глухова