Date of Birth: July 28, 1981

Abducted Since: March 18, 2022

Last Known Location: City of Kyiv

Political Sponsor: Max Lucks (Alliance 90/the Greens, Member of the German Bundestag)

Roman Levitsky is married and worked as a sales technician in a Ukrainian factory before the war.

Imprisonment

On March 18, 2022, Roman, his brother, and two other friends were traveling in their own car to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate people from the occupied villages in the Vyshhorod and Bucha districts (Kyiv Region). In the village of Mykolaivka, they were stopped by the Russian military and taken to an unknown location. It was later confirmed that all four had fallen into Russian captivity.

On January 6, 2023, Roman’s wife was informed by a Ukrainian soldier who had been released from Russian captivity that he had shared a cell with her husband in Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 2 in the city of Novozybkov, Bryansk Region, Russian Federation. The released prisoner also reported that Roman had lost a significant amount of weight. Since May 2024, Roman has been held in Penal Colony No. 1 (Donskoy, Tula Region).

Health Condition

Prior to his imprisonment, Roman was in good health with no known issues. His current health condition is unfortunately unknown.

Status: As of May 2024

Letter to the Russian Ambassador

Subject: Request for the immediate release of Ukrainian civilian Roman Levitsky

Dear Ambassador [INSERT] /Dear Ombudswoman Moskalkova,

I am writing to draw your attention to the arbitrary detention of Ukrainian civilian Roman Levitsky (born 28 July 1981), who was innocently abducted and arrested in Mykolaivka (Kyiv region) on 18 March 2022.

On 18 March 2022, Roman, his brother and two of their friends were stopped by the Russian military and abducted in an unknown direction. It later became known that all four had been captured by the Russians. According to information, in January 2023 Roman was in remand prison no. 2 in the city of Novosybkov in the Bryansk region. Since May 2024, Roman has been in penal colony No. 1 (city of Donskoy, Tula region).

I find the reports of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners in Russian penal camps and pre-trial detention centers particularly disturbing. Roman Levitsky is an innocent civilian detained without any legitimate legal basis. The rights and freedoms of the persons concerned must be fully respected and protected.

I appeal to you to stand up for the lawful and humane treatment of all civilian prisoners in Russia, especially the abducted Ukrainians. Please allow him to contact his family and provide him with legal representation.

Yours sincerely,

Letter to the Ukrainian Authorities

Dear Ambassador [INSERT] /Dear Ombudsman Lubinets,

I am writing to draw your attention to the arbitrary detention of Ukrainian civilian Roman Levitsky (born 28.07.1981), who was innocently abducted and arrested in Mykolaivka (Kyiv region) on 18 March 2022.

On 18 March 2022, Roman, his brother and two of their friends were stopped by the Russian military and abducted in an unknown direction. It later became known that all four had been captured by the Russians. According to information, in January 2023 Roman was in remand prison no. 2 in the city of Novosybkov in the Bryansk region. Since May 2024, Roman has been in penal colony No. 1 (city of Donskoy, Tula region).

I received the information about the prisoner from the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), an organisation that campaigns for Ukrainian civilian prisoners through public relations work, appeals and sponsorships. The organisation is in close contact with family members of the deportees and endeavours to draw attention to the situation of the deported Ukrainians and the torture to which they are subjected in Russian captivity.

I have made an appeal to the Russian authorities, drawing attention to the situation of Roman Levitsky and calling for his release.

Thank you for your tireless work to protect the Ukrainian people and your commitment to the abducted civilians.

Yours sincerely,

Addresses

Ombudswoman of the Russian Federation
Tatyana H. Moskalkova
Smolenskij, d. 19, str. 2
119121 Moscow
Russia

Ombudsman (Human Rights Commissioner) of Ukraine
Dmytro Lubinets
Human Rights Commissioner in the Ukrainian Parliament
Vulica Instytutska, 21/8
01008 Kyiv
Ukraine
Email: hotline@ombudsman.gov.ua

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