Serhiy Tsyhypa

Serhiy Tsyhypa

Date of disappearance: March 12, 2022

Place of disappearance: Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region

Serhiy Tsyhypa was a Ukrainian journalist known for his active civic position. When Russian troops occupied Nova Kakhovka, Tsyhypa stayed and helped people: he organized humanitarian aid and, as a journalist, reported on the situation in the occupied territories. He publicly spoke out against the occupation, condemned collaborationism, and urged people not to believe Russian propaganda.

On March 12, 2022, he was abducted by the Russian military. Since then, none of his family has seen Serhii. The man was taken to the occupied Crimea to the Simferopol Detention Center and accused of espionage. In October 2023, the so-called trial took place, where the verdict was announced: 13 years in prison in a strict regime colony.

Since his abduction, his wife, Olena Tsyhypa, has been fighting for his release. She has united with other families of civilian prisoners to call on the world to put pressure on Russia to release civilians. “We cannot live, wake up, breathe in peace when our relatives are in captivity,” emphasizes Olena Tsyhypa.
In May 2024, she received a letter from her husband. In it, Serhii said that he was being transferred to the Ryazan region to a strict regime colony in the city of Skopin. From time to time, the woman receives emails from there. It follows from them that the administration is constantly worsening the conditions of Tsygipa’s detention, arguing that he is disobeying the regime.

Meanwhile, Olena’s struggle continues. She believes that her husband will return home soon.

This publication was compiled with the support of the International RenaissanceFoundation. It’s content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Renaissance Foundation.