Ukrainian National Guard soldier with his throat cut crawled for five days to his comrades and survived
26 August 22:31
vladyslav, a 33-year-old National Guard soldier, performed an incredible feat of survival after being tortured in Russian captivity. The soldier’s throat was slit, he was thrown into a pit with other prisoners and left to die, but he got out and crawled to Ukrainian positions for five days.
His story is told by Suspilne, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
He survived the execution
According to his family, Vladyslav was captured several weeks ago when his unit lost its position near Pokrovsk. The Russian military brutally tortured the prisoners: gouged out their eyes, cut off their lips and ears, nose, and mutilated their male organs. Vladyslav was the last of eight soldiers whom the invaders threw into a pit, believing him to be dead.
The soldier survived by a miracle: when the Russians left, he tied a cloth around his neck and started crawling toward the Ukrainian forces. For five days he made his way, unable to speak or eat on his own.
“He was lucky that garbage was thrown on top of the pit, including a broken bottle. His hands were tied, but he managed to cut the rope and get out,” said his wife, Victoria.
Treatment and the dream of getting his voice back
Since August 17, Vladyslav has been in a hospital in Dnipropetrovs’k region in serious condition: with heavy blood loss and wound infection. Doctors have already performed surgery and are doing everything possible to help him speak again.
“In the 11 years of war, this is the first time we have treated a soldier with such an injury in our hospital,” said hospital director Serhiy.
Despite what he has been through, Vladyslav is thinking about returning to the front to take revenge on his executioners. At the same time, his biggest dream is to see his four-year-old daughter again.
Systematic executions of prisoners of war
Vladyslav’s story is yet another proof of Russia’s systematic war crimes. As of July alone, there were at least 268 cases of executions of Ukrainian prisoners of war.
The Ukrainian side regularly informs the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations about such facts. However, bringing the perpetrators to justice remains difficult due to Russia’s unwillingness to cooperate with international organizations.
