In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, doctors are treating 33-year-old Ukrainian soldier Vladyslav, who survived Russian captivity. His throat had been cut, yet he survived and crawled to Ukrainian positions for nearly five days.

Source: Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster

Details: Due to his injuries, Vladyslav is currently unable to speak, so he documented his experience in a diary. His wife and brother shared his story with journalists.

It is known that a few weeks ago, the brigade in which Vladyslav serves lost control of a position near Pokrovsk. While trying to help his brothers-in-arms, Vladyslav was captured.

“First, he was caught by one group, and then they were taken to a basement. There were completely different soldiers there. There were two of them, and they tormented the prisoners,” said Viktoriia, Vladyslav’s wife.

His brother, Yevhen, added that the first POWs had their eyes gouged out and lips cut and their genitals, ears and noses mutilated by the Russians.

Vladyslav was tortured and then had his throat cut. He was the last of eight soldiers the Russian troops threw into a pit, believing they were all dead.

After the Russian soldiers left, Vladyslav tied his throat with cloth and crawled for almost five days to reach Ukrainian positions.

“He says he was lucky that when they were thrown into the pit, they also dumped trash on top, so it wasn’t so visible. There was a broken bottle there. His hands were tied, and he managed to cut the rope with the bottle,” explained Viktoriia.

On 17 August, he was taken to a medical facility in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in a critical condition. He had suffered severe blood loss, and his wounds had begun to fester.

“When the throat is cut and a person is bleeding, the chances are slim. He held on until the end, but you could tell he was confident everything would be okay,” said the hospital’s director.

Vladyslav has already undergone surgery. Doctors are doing everything possible so that he can speak again.

“All the ENT surgeons have committed to performing such a perfect operation that no scar will be visible, and he will be able to breathe and talk independently,” the director added.

In the 11 years of war, this type of injury is being treated in this medical facility for the first time.

*Vladyslav before his injuries.*Photo: Suspilne Dnipro

Despite everything he has endured, Vladyslav is already thinking about going back to the front, his brother said.

“He writes that those bastards should feel what he and seven of his fellow soldiers felt,” his brother said.

Background: On 14 August, 26-year-old soldier Stanislav Panchenko was released from captivity as part of a prisoner exchange, bringing his four-legged friend, a cat named Myshko.

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