Iryna Pohorila15:54, 07.07.25

After returning to Ukraine, the man was treated, but his condition rapidly deteriorated.

Less than a month after his release from  Russian captivity, 57-year-old soldier Valeriy Zelenskyy died. He had been in captivity for more than three years and returned home in May.

As  “Social. Donbass” reported  , Valery, who lived in Seversko-Donetsk, served in the 53rd separate mechanized brigade, where he received the rank of foreman.

The military man’s daughter said that after the start of the full-scale invasion, her father’s unit delivered weapons to the defenders of Mariupol.

“When the offensive began, they were told that volunteers were needed to go on the assault. Out of forty-eight, they said: ‘We’re going.'” My father was one of them. He was supposed to mine the bridge. He was told: ‘Don’t worry, the National Police are there, they’re waiting for you, everything will be fine.’ He arrived. And they really were waiting for them there. And everything seemed fine, everyone spoke Russian. But it turned out that they weren’t talking to their own people anymore,” the soldier’s daughter said.Read also:

Valeriy was held captive for 39 months. The soldier’s family learned that he had been captured a few days later.

During his captivity, the soldier’s family received one letter from him, in which the man said he was holding out. The daughter said that for a long time her father was listed for exchange, but he did not return.

“The torture was not just cruel, but inhuman. But he endured and said: ‘Daughter, I endured because I have kyokushinkai. I have discipline and I am ‘packed’. My muscles protected me,” the girl said.

On May 25, the soldier’s family received information that Valery had been released from captivity:

“We all cried with happiness because finally the worst dream of our lives was over.”

After returning home, the man was happy that, in addition to his two granddaughters, he had a grandson. When asked by doctors about his suicidal tendencies, he said that he had something to live for.

The military man’s daughter added that her father said the following: “Three people among us died from torture. And when I was feeling really bad and realized that anything was possible, I asked God: ‘Please, let me see the eyes of my beloved.'”

The girl noted that Valery’s medical report listed almost all possible types of torture. The man returned from Russian captivity with several injuries, including a broken shoulder and arm.

After returning to Ukraine, the man was treated, but his condition rapidly deteriorated. Eventually, the defender ended up in intensive care.

Doctors suspected that Valeriy had pancreatic problems, which were being treated. Eventually, he underwent surgery, during which it was discovered that all his organs were “disintegrating.” The man died on June 16.

Other news about Ukrainian defenders

On June 12, Dmitry Shapovalov, who was released from captivity, died. His photo with an apple went viral on social networks. The soldier shared at the time that he had been dreaming about an apple for 2 years.

The defender was released from Russian captivity on April 26, 2023. 

(C)UNIAN 2025