Mykola Petrovsky
Date of abduction: March 27, 2022
Place of abduction: Kherson
On the day of his abduction, Mykola went to the city to meet with friends but was detained by representatives of the Russian armed forces on the way.
The next morning, on March 28, 2022, six armed Russian soldiers in uniform and two men in civilian clothes arrived at his house. They searched the house, took away the equipment, and then detained Mykola and his father. They put bags in different cars over their heads and brought them to an unknown destination. Later, the father was released. Mykola wasn’t.
For six months, the family knew nothing about his fate: where he was, what was wrong with him, or whether he was alive at all. Only on September 29, 2022, a Russian lawyer called and said that Mykola was accused of espionage.
On February 13, 2024, the so-called “Supreme Court of Crimea” passed the sentence: 16 years in a strict regime colony. The trial took place behind closed doors, but Russian media disseminated footage of the interrogation and the announcement of the verdict, making this case a show trial.
Mykola is currently being held in Russia. Communication with him is limited and unstable. The family sometimes receives news from him, but this is not enough to know the real conditions of his detention.
Mykola has a group III disability. Before the war, he was involved in an accident and lost part of his foot. Living with a prosthesis requires regular rehabilitation and medical care. The colony does not provide this — his health condition is rapidly deteriorating. The man’s spinal curvature is progressing, and he has developed furuncles — purulent formations that can lead to blood poisoning. Chronic diseases have worsened, and the prosthesis has failed.
“The prosthesis has long since expired. It is not just damaged — it is almost broken. Because of this, the leg dries up, and wounds appear. If the prosthesis breaks completely, my son will not be able to walk,” — says Mykola’s father.
This publication was compiled with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. It’s content is the exclusive responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Renaissance Foundation.
