Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who was released to Ukraine in a prisoner exchange last week, said that he hopes Ukrainian officials do everything in order to secure the speedy release of remaining Ukrainian prisoners in Russia.
Speaking at the 16th annual YES forum in Kyiv, Sentsov said an empty jar of tea was part of his battle during his imprisonment in Russia. He said he taped yellow and blue stripes on it and wrote the words “Glory to Ukraine.” The symbol of his struggle was repeatedly destroyed by Russian prison guards.
He showed this can and offered to make it a symbol of the release of Ukrainians from Russian prisons, prisoners, Crimeans, political prisoners, filling it with personal tags from the uniforms of prisoners who are released.
“I would really like this jar to be filled as quickly as possible with the tags of those who are still in captivity in Russia, Donbas and Crimea. Mr. President, make this can full as soon as possible,” Sentsov told Zelensky, who at that moment rose from his seat in the hall and headed for the stage.
Zelensky, in turn, began his speech at the YES forum by promising to do everything possible to release all Ukrainian prisoners from Russian prisons as soon as possible.
Verkhovna Rada ombudswoman Liudmyla Denisova has said that after the release of 35 Kremlin prisoners on September 7, 113 Ukrainians remain in Russian imprisonment, including 89 Crimean Tatars.
