Former captured soldier says he saw UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khlyuk – RSF

According to former Ukrainian prisoners, the UNIAN correspondent weighs no more than 45 kilograms.

UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khlyuk , who has been illegally detained by Russian occupiers for over three years, is alive and is in correctional colony-7 in Pakino, Vladimir region of the Russian Federation. This was told by Ukrainian serviceman “Vlad” from the 36th Marine Brigade, who was recently released from Russian captivity, to journalists from Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

What is Dmytro Khylyuk’s condition now?

According to the military officer, he last saw Khlyuk in early May 2025. He shared that shortly before his release, he accidentally met an UNIAN correspondent in the prison corridor. “Vlad” said that Khlyuk was probably going to see a doctor. The military officer noted that at that time there were no visible signs of ill-treatment or injuries on him.

According to the testimony of “Vlad”, he was captured in October 2022 and transferred to correctional colony-7. The UNIAN correspondent was taken to the same place in May 2023. He said that in August of the same year he spent one day in the same cell with the UNIAN correspondent.

The organization added that Khlyuk was held in cell number 8, which is located in the third block. According to “Vlad”, this block is the “strictest” because all Ukrainian prisoners there are regularly beaten and deprived of food.

In addition, another former Ukrainian prisoner told reporters that Khlyuk had changed a lot in appearance. According to him, the UNIAN correspondent weighed no more than 45 kilograms. This information was also confirmed by “Vlad”.

Conditions of detention in the colony

The military admitted to reporters that conditions of detention improved somewhat in late 2024 after a visit to Correctional Colony-7 by a delegation led by the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights, Tatyana Moskalkova. However, they deteriorated again in 2025.

According to Vlad, the food supply in Correctional Colony-7 has deteriorated this year, and access to medical care remains very limited. Journalists noted that the facility may still hold about 300 Ukrainians.

“After more than three years of ordeal in Russian prisons, Dmytro Khlyuk continues to suffer ill-treatment. While prisoner exchanges between the two countries have increased in recent months, it is unclear why this chronically malnourished journalist is still being held in custody. We call for his immediate and unconditional release before his situation deteriorates further and it is too late,” said Arnaud Froeget, head of investigations at Reporters Without Borders.

Kidnapping of UNIAN journalist Dmytro Khylyuk – what is known

Recall that UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khlyuk, together with his father, was kidnapped by Russian occupiers in the first days of March 2022 during the occupation of part of the Kyiv region. The journalist’s father was later released, but Dmytro was taken to Russia, where he is still being held.

It is known that the UNIAN correspondent is being held in correctional colony-7 in Pakino, located in the Vladimir region.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Khlyuk is still being held in the Vladimir region of Russia. A man who spent a year in the same cell as Khlyuk told reporters that the UNIAN correspondent did not look the same as in the photo before his abduction. According to him, Khlyuk weighs no more than 45 kilograms .

(C)UNIAN 2025