Oleksandr Borysov
Date of birth: 22 August 1984
Missing since: 6 January 2021
Last known location: Kadijivka (Stakhanov) town, Luhansk region
Unlawful sentence: 14 years in high-security prison

Oleksandr worked in freight and passenger transport and was captured because of his pro-Ukrainian stance. He risked his life to help Ukrainians who were threatened by militants of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic to flee to the territory controlled by Ukraine. Because Oleksandr refuses to accept Russian citizenship, he is subjected to physical and psychological torture.

Abduction

On 6 January 2021, Oleksandr was abducted near his home in Stakhanov, a town in the Luhansk region temporarily occupied by Russia. Members of the so-called Ministry of State Security of the Luhansk People’s Republic were responsible for the abduction.

Oleksandr was accused of alleged high treason for allegedly supporting a “foreign” state in activities directed against the security of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic.

During the interrogation, Oleksandr was tortured with electric shocks by attaching electrodes to his ears and beating him all over his body. Oleksandr was held in completely unhygienic conditions; in the first two months after his abduction, he had no opportunity to wash or change his clothes. He was denied hygiene products and slept on the concrete floor for a period of time.

As Oleksandr informed his relatives:

“I will not tell you about all the horrors I had to endure during the interrogations. I will not tell you about all the torture I was subjected to, because you do not need to know that. But I will tell you one thing: the representatives of the Ministry for State Security know very well how to persuade people.”

Due to the ongoing torture and threats against his relatives by representatives of the so-called Ministry of State Security, Oleksandr attempted to take his own life. He has cuts on both hands.

Following a arbitrary show trial, Oleksandr was sentenced to 14 years in a high-security prison on 21 February 2021.

Since 9 February 2025, Oleksandr has been unlawfully detained in Penal Colony No. 1 in the city of Yakutsk in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) of the Russian Federation. His family has not received any information about Oleksandr since then.

Health

Oleksandr suffers from chronic immune disorders that negatively affect his metabolism, and he requires constant medical care. He has diabetes and has been overweight since childhood. As a result of his abduction, Olesandr no longer has access to the medication he needs. Before his capture, he was scheduled to undergo surgery to remove varicose veins in February 2021. Due to the head injuries he suffered during torture in Russian captivity, he suffers from very high blood pressure and severe headaches. He also complains of pain in his heart area and toothache. He has lost a lot of weight and his hair has turned completely grey.

Status: September 2025