Vitaliy Gvozdenko

The 46-year-old Vitaliy Gvozdenko from Melitopol was abducted by Russian soldiers on April 29, 2022. His whereabouts remain unknown, and his health condition is unclear.

Case facts:

Identity: Ukrainian driver

Date of Birth: 7 August 1979

Last known Location: Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Region

Abducted: 29 April 2022

Report

On the morning of 29 April 2022, Russian soldiers broke into Vitaliy’s apartment, searched the premises, and seized his documents, phone, and two laptops. He was detained and taken to an unknown location.

Two weeks later, Russian television broadcast a video in which Vitaliy’s relatives recognized him among other detained residents of Melitopol. They were accused of alleged terrorist activities against Russia.

Later, the family learned that the abducted civilians were held near the town of Polohy (Zaporizhzhia Region), where Russian forces forced them to dig trenches.

In March 2023, Vitaliy and other abducted Ukrainians were transferred to Pre-Trial Detention Center No. 2 in Taganrog, where they were held until March 2024. That same year, a court case took place in Rostov-on-Don, where Vitaliy appeared as a witness. The family believed that the detainees might be sent back to Taganrog afterwards.

To this day, the family has no information about Vitaliy’s whereabouts or health condition.

State of health

He was healthy before his captivity. No information is available about his current condition.