Ukrainian Army Officer Abducted in Bakhchisaray
| Publisher | Institute for War and Peace Reporting |
| Author | Ukrainska Pravda |
| Publication Date | 10 March 2014 |
| Cite as | Institute for War and Peace Reporting, Ukrainian Army Officer Abducted in Bakhchisaray, 10 March 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/531efaf84.html [accessed 23 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The commander of a Ukrainian army motorised battalion, Colonel Vladimir Sadovnik, was abducted in Bakhchisaray on Sunday, Ukrainska Pravda was told by the unit's chief of staff, Lieutenant-Colonel Sergei Gunder.
Lt-Col Gunder said the incident occurred on at about 17:00 on March 9. "It happened when Gunder was returning from lunch in Bakhchisaray," he said, adding that unidentified pro-Russian individuals forced that colonel into a car and drove away.
"Eyewitness saw him at the Russian Unity offices, but when we arrived there wer were told no one had seen him there," Lt-Col Gunder said.
"The situation as of Monday morning is that he contacted his wife between 7 and 8 am. He said he was fine, but was being held in an unknown location. No demands had been put to him," Lt-Col Gunder said.
Gunder said the military was doing its best to trace Col Sadovnik.
As has been reported already, numerous abductions began on Sunday. In the morning, Euromaidan activist Andrei Schekun was detained at Simferopol railway and then abducted by Russian Unity members. News later emerged that a second activist, Anatoly Kovalsky, was abducted with Schekun. Activist Olena Maximenko was abducted while entering Crimea.
A number of people travelling in another vehicle also disappeared - a freelance photographer called Oles [Kromplyas] and another journalist. Evgeny Rakhno also disappeared while driving the group of journalists in his Jeep Wrangler (number plate AE 9115 EV. Rakhno's wife Ekaterina Abiyeva said he was detained at a checkpoint in Perekop.
