"Dmytro Afanasyev, a member of the Korabelny District Council of Kherson city, head of the European Solidarity faction, was abducted in Kherson. He is a world-famous athlete, world-class instructor, coach of the Ukrainian taekwondo team," Serhiy Khlan, a member of the Kherson Regional Council, posted on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
As noted, on March 22, after the occupiers’ crackdown on a pro-Ukrainian rally, Afanasyev defended his wife, whom Russians were trying to detain. He was severely beaten: the man was hospitalized with numerous hematomas and broken ribs.
Two hours later, the Russian military came to his family house to conduct a "search". They found an ID of the district council member, confiscated CCTV recordings and mobile phones. All the men in the house were detained, including Afanasyev's friends, Khlan said.
The next morning, March 23, the house was re-searched and one of the detainees was released, who reported brutal torture. Other detained men are still in captivity.
As reported, peaceful protests against Russian aggression are taking place in Kherson region. Russian military use force and weapons against people, there are wounded and detained people. Russian invaders also abduct residents of the region.
On February 24, Russian president Vladimir Putin started the large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian troops shell and destroy key infrastructure, massively fire on residential areas of Ukrainian cities, towns, and villages using artillery, MLRS, and ballistic missiles.
Martial law was imposed in Ukraine and general mobilization was announced.
Photo credit: Serhiy Khlan, Facebook
