Valerii Sterzhantov
Valerii Sterzhantov
Date of disappearance: September 21, 2023
Place of disappearance: Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region
Valerii Sterzhantov is a resident of the village of Sosnivka in the Melitopol region. He was an entrepreneur engaged in agricultural business.
After the Russian army occupied the village, Valerii took his family to government-controlled territory. He returned home alone because he had to care for his elderly father.
On September 19, 2023, at 3 a.m., Russian soldiers broke into the house of 49-year-old Valerii. They searched the house and took his phone, documents and money. Valerii was taken with a bag over his head to an unknown location, where he was tortured with electric shocks in the basement until morning. Then they took him to the forest and left him there.
He came home on his own. On September 21, the security forces called Valerii’s friend and suggested that Valerii come to the Refma plant in Melitopol to hand over his documents and phone. On the same day, Valerii went to the appointed place. He never returned home.
Later, his family learned that Russian security forces had captured Valerii Sterzhantov and accused him of espionage. His whereabouts are unknown.
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.
