Brief background: In the fall of 2022, more than 2,500 Ukrainians staying in the institutions of the penitentiary system of the temporarily occupied Kherson region were forcibly taken by russian special services through Crimea to the territory of the Russian federation. After the end of the term of serving the sentence, the released Ukrainians are transferred indefinitely to the local TDCFC, there is currently no single mechanism for the deportation of such people.
On January 30, 2023, 14 Ukrainians who had been in the Volgograd Temporary Detention Center for Foreign Citizens (TDCFC) for a month were forcibly taken to the checkpoint of the russia-Latvia border, the settlement of Ludza for deportation from the country.
After the refusal to enter Latvia and unsuccessful attempts to contact the Embassy of Ukraine in Latvia, all 14 Ukrainians were forcibly, by the forces of the Latvian special forces, expelled to russia, where they were again placed in the Volgograd TDCFC.
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Today, three guys from the group crossed the border with Georgia, according to them, there were no additional questions at the border control.
For the time being, we can talk cautiously about the unimpeded entry of Ukrainians into the country and we hope that such a “corridor” for the deportation of Ukrainian ex-convicts will also be used by the migration service of the Russian Federation.
As for the guys themselves, who arrived today - they are in perfect order. We make every effort to organize their safe stay in Georgia, resocialization and return home.
Also, international journalists became interested in the issue of illegal export and retention of Ukrainian convicts on the territory of the Russian Federation even after their release. At the request of the media, we are not disclosing the details yet, but we promise to share a link to the article in the near future!
And we also hope that the rest of the guys from the group, who are still kept in the Volgograd TDCFC, will soon be able to go home along the “Georgian corridor”.
We continue to keep you updated on the news our and urge everyone to do everything possible so that all Ukrainian ex-prisoners will back home.