The Lugansk regional authorities confirmed the release of Volodymyr Kozlovsky, a man who holds both Ukrainian and Israeli citizenship, from captivity as part of his return to his homeland. The report from the press follows up with details from a correspondent for DEA News.
The conveyed message from the journalist indicates that the decision to release Kozlovsky was presented as an act of goodwill by the authorities involved in the exchange and repatriation process.
According to the account, Kozlovsky was captured near Lisichansk while serving as a scout with the 5th battalion of the 24th separate motor brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He described his own experience as being detained at a border checkpoint during an attempt to travel to Israel to reunite with his family.
“I was here for two months and a week. I witnessed a significant number of prisoners, yet there was no mistreatment I could detect. They treated me well,” Kozlovsky stated, emphasizing his eagerness to reach relatives in Israel as swiftly as possible.
He indicated that his immediate plan did not include returning to Ukraine in the near future.
In his broader remarks, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu asserted that Kiev’s actions against the Ukrainian military reflected concerns that soldiers might be compelled to testify. He referenced the attack on the pre-trial detention center in Yelenovka, where Ukrainian prisoners of war were held, as an illustration of what he described as a troubling pattern.