“Missing soldier is not forgotten!” Kharkiv activists held demonstration to support POWs (photos)

UKRAINE, KHARKIV, Jun 23 — On June 22, activists from Kharkiv organized a “Don’t be silent. Captivity kills” demonstration to remind about the Ukrainian prisoners of war who are still in Russian captivity. Below are Gwara Media’s journalists’ photos from the event. 

The Association of “Azovstal” defenders’ families organizes such demonstrations each weekend in cities throughout Ukraine to advocate for release of POWs. Russia regularly violates international law and the Geneva Conventions governing the conditions of detention — it’s known about over 200 of POWs killed in Russian captivity.

Kharkiv activists with posters and of POWs photos on June 22 / Photo: Andrii Henov, Gwara Media

Relatives and friends of POWs joined the demonstration, including spouses, parents, and children of captured soldiers. They came with posters and photos of their loved ones.

The posters of demonstrators said: “Silence = crime,” “Dad, you are my heart, and I can’t live without heart,” “Russia took my home but it should bring home the heroes,” “We don’t need words, we need them!”, “Captivity isn’t a place for leisure, it is a place where they torture and kill.”

Child with poster “I wait just for one call: Daughter, I’m at home!” at demonstration in Kharkiv on June 22 / Photo: Andrii Henov, Gwara Media

Kharkiv activists with posters for “Don’t be silent. Captivity kills” demonstration on June 22 / Photo: Andrii Henov, Gwara Media

People shouted “Don’t be silent! Captivity kills” throughout the demonstration, and drivers of passing cars signaled to show their support.

“Don’t be silent. Captivity kills” demonstration in Kharkiv on June 22 / Photo: Andrii Henov, Gwara Media

Demonstration was full of relatives of the soldiers from units of Ukrainian Ground Forces, Air Assault Forces, Territorial Defence Forces, and Mariupol’s defenders among the demonstrators, said the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.

The Headquarters’s representatives also joined the protest and provided personal consultations for members of the POWs’ families.

Poster “Free Azov” at demonstration in Kharkiv on June 22 / Photo: Andrii Henov, Gwara Media

On June 20, Ukraine brought home another group of severely wounded soldiers from the Russian captivity, including six soldiers from Kharkiv Oblast, said Oleh Syniehubov, governor of the region. The POW swap was conducted under Istanbul agreements. 

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