Captured as a prisoner by Russian forces and detained for about 20 months
Lost approximately 38kg while in captivity
The shocking appearance of a Ukrainian soldier who was captured by Russian forces during the war and later released has been revealed. On the 12th (local time), the British Daily Mail reported that the prisoner was released last month under a prisoner exchange agreement between Ukraine and Russia. Volodymyr Chemabursov (41), who served in the 56th Independent Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian army and participated in the war, was captured by Russian forces on April 12, 2022, and was detained for about 20 months.
Before and after images of Ukrainian soldier Volodymyr Chemabursov, who was captured and released as a prisoner of war. [Photo by X (formerly Twitter)]
Chemabursov was very robust, standing about 189 cm tall and weighing around 95 kg. However, his revealed appearance is completely different from what one could imagine before he was captured. During his captivity, he lost about 38 kg, and his current weight is 57 kg. His face is deeply sunken around the eyes and cheekbones, and his body is so emaciated that his ribs are visible. It is known that he suffered from severe starvation during his imprisonment, and he is currently receiving treatment to regain his health.
Chemabursov told local media, "My health condition is much worse than I expected," adding, "I have been diagnosed with acute gastritis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, digestive disorders, and chronic prostatitis." He was held captive in several locations, including detention facilities in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian region of Luhansk and on Russian soil, and confessed to enduring painful abuse and torture during this time. He said, "They (Russian forces) stripped prisoners of their clothes and tortured them, and many prisoners were seriously injured in the process," adding, "They used clubs and electric shock devices and beat all over the head, chest, back, arms, and legs." He emphasized, "When I was released, I was so dazed that I didn't even realize I had returned to Ukraine."
Chemabursov's wife, Anna (34), briefly rejoiced at meeting her husband again but then broke down in tears at his drastically changed appearance. Anna said, "I hope people will know what is happening to Ukrainian prisoners held in Russian prisons (through my husband's appearance)."
Despite the casualties mounting like a snowball, the war between Russia and Ukraine continues. On the 15th (local time), six people, including a 4-month-old baby, were killed in Belgorod due to a Ukrainian airstrike, and 18 others, including children, were injured. Previously, on December 30 last year, Belgorod was struck by a Ukrainian airstrike that resulted in 25 deaths and over 100 injuries.
On the same day, Russia also launched missile attacks on seven Ukrainian regions including Kyiv, as well as Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, and Lviv. According to foreign media, the attacks destroyed infrastructure and residential and commercial buildings, injuring at least 11 people across Ukraine. This missile attack by Russia was the second this month, with air raid warnings issued across Ukraine for more than two hours.
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