Date of arrest: 17.01.2019
20-year-old Stanislav Panchenko, a soldier of the 58th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, disappeared in the combat area in Donbass on the night of January 17-18, 2019. He was on duty when all communication with him ceased.
Three days later, the DPR militants claimed that they took Stanislav prisoner. Pro-Russian mercenaries "sentenced" Stanislav Panchenko to 17 years in prison.
“I talked to him only a little, but he didn't tell me anything about his experience so that I wouldn't worry. He said: “Mom, you don't know what kind of torture we are going through here. I didn't even expect that to happen nowadays.” I understand that our men have gone through enormous challenges. They are upset because they hoped for help, and they see that there is no support other than the mothers fighting for them. It is only recently, that the exchange of detainees has begun. It is very difficult when some guys are released and others remain in captivity,” said the prisoner's mother.
“He really wanted to do military service. He voluntarily signed a contract immediately after graduating from lyceum. And after three months of training in “Desna” AFU training centre, he went to the front line in the Luhansk region,” Valentyna Panchenko recalls.
“He is on the list from our side. As I understand it , the negotiations are very difficult. The SSU told me that my son has not been confirmed by the other side. But we must stay persistent. Our young men went to defend Ukraine and we must get them out of captivity in any case,” Valentyna Panchenko concluded.
