Ukraine

Ukrainian Driver Abducted

Vitaliy Gvozdenko (Russian: Виталий Гвозденко)
Date of Birth: August 7, 1979
Abducted since: April 29, 2022
Last known location: City of Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Region

Vitaliy Gvozdenko is from the city of Melitopol and worked as a driver before his abduction.

Abduction

On the morning of April 29, 2022, Russian soldiers entered Vitaliy’s apartment and searched it. His documents, cell phone, and two laptops were confiscated. The soldiers arrested Vitaliy and took him to an unknown location.

Two weeks later, a video was broadcast on a Russian television channel in which Vitaliy’s relatives recognised him and other detained residents of Melitopol. They are accused of alleged terrorist activities against Russia. Later, Vitaliy’s family learned that the illegally abducted people were being held near the town of Polohy (Zaporizhzhia region). Furthermore, the Russian military forced the civilian prisoners to dig trenches for Russian soldiers.

In March 2023, Vitaliy and other abducted Ukrainians were transferred to Detention Centre No. 2 in the Russian city of Taganrog. They were held there until March 2024. That same year, a trial was held against the prisoners in Rostov-on-Don. Vitaliy appeared as a witness in these proceedings. His family suspected that the civilian prisoners might be returned to Taganrog after the trial. To date, the family has received no information about Vitaliy’s whereabouts or health.