At that time at the age of sixty -two years, Volodimier Mycolinco joined his local regional defense force, the day Russia began his full -scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Kheelsan’s own hometown within weeks. Next month, soldiers arrested Mykolaienko on the road. Are Are questioned, tortured, and captured Crimea as a prisoner, then on a punishment colony in Russia.
By the time Ukrainian troops liberated the city in November 2022, Kherson remained in possession for nine months. Mycolinco spent more than three years of captivity on 24 August 2025 before being able to return to Ukraine as part of a prisoner exchange and Russia.
DW: Mr. Mykolaienko, you are currently undergoing rehabilitation in a hospital in Kyiv. How are you?
Volodymyr mykolaienko: I’m still weak, but it’s not very bad. The air of Ukraine, the love and respect of Ukrainians uplift me. When we saw that the crowds stood on the roadside from Ukrainian border practical to Charnihiva, congratulated flags and homemade placards, children and elderly people, it is really a boost for your health; You think Joi Day Vyers, love, and thesis for people and in general honors for Ukrainian.
There is a lot of debate about why Russia was capable of carrying Kheran so quickly in 2022, and why the Antonivski Bridge was not flown by the Ukrainian army to stop it by the Ukrainian army to add DNipro’s left and right shores. You were witness to the thesis incidents. When did you realize that there were there
When we hear that shots are burning in the left bank, after a few hours, we asked ourselves what happened and why, and where the resistance was that our army told the President that before the onset of the war, just before the war, only month, or what happened for three weeks. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited soldiers to examine the preparations for our army. A type of training exercise was done under the command of Ukrainian Security Service. And all the army told them: “Mr. President, enemies will not meet here.” It is clear for me that betrayal must have happened. Betrayal by people on important positions in the field of Kherson.
What for the betrayal done by individuals? Or organized, prefabricated action?
I think it was a Russian fifth column. This was done in the Beast of the Russian Federation: someone ordered a mine withdrawal somewhere. It is not just possible that the Russian soldiers were on the outer part of the Kherson within a few hours. Why was the Antonivski Bridge not flown?
For three years, you were heroes at different places in Crimea and Russia. Did different jails have different situations?
Yes of course. Borisoglbsk in the Russian region of Voronis – that full light. It was a torture room from morning to night. You were beating on the morning inspection, ton app war yard exercise, and on the way you were beating again. And they defeated you again in evening inspection. We were in Crimea for two days. This model was a child from the organization who loved to visit (Russian Human Rights Commissioner) Tatyana Moskalkova. He staged a show there: “Look, thesis is the conditions we catch Ukrainian prisoners.” There were a television, chess and other board games, books. So we need normal food. On the other hand, in Pakino, we were tortured by depriving them of food.
You have denied being a part of a prisoner exchange in 2022, so a seriously injured Ukrainian can replace you. How did Russians react to him?
Russian string to bargain. He said: “We will demand our 20 boys for you.” I said no. I would ever have been examined to search for the exchange. How could I see a wife or mother in the eye and say they would hand over to 20 men for me? Sorry, but who is this mykolaienko for which they have to hand over so much? We are all the same: a former mayor, a soldier, a brigadier. And you must first get people in need – who are ill.
When you were in captivity, you have hardly received any information. On August 24, 2025, what incidents in Ukraine you only discovered that you were exchanged?
First of all, I came to know that my family is all right, that everyone is in healthy and good souls. What is the most important thing for me. I asked what is the current situation, where is the front line. It was the same as I doubted. But I could not start imagining what happened in my Kherson’s house. There the drones were flying on it, hunting and killing people. There are some miscreants sitting in the left bank, whose main task is to learn how to kill people. They hunting minibuses or special persons and claim: “There are no citizens, only if a citizen roams there in clothes, then they are a soldier who has to kill.” I do not understand why not hit the world every day. This is the murder – the murder of citizens.
Do you know about the conversation between Ukraine and Russia?
We knew that many people went out in ONS in April or May. Not from our camp, but we heard about it. In eight months, 78 people were able to leave our camp. We counted them; This was very important to us, and we were real happy for each one. I say that everyone in honesty. I realized that an exchange would be happening, so I thought maybe my turn would come at some point. We talked about how Vladimir Putin was not leaving his claim for Territis. Ninety-nine percent said that they did not want to exchange for the region. We should not surrender any Ukrainian region.
What was killed by you on your return to Ukraine, and to what extent Ukrainian war has changed?
I was proud of my nation: Proud of Ukrainian’s achievement, who have been canceled this attack for bees for three and a half years. Now, I see different cases. I do not understand men who are not on the front right now. Who are those who protect your families? I, an old man, set with a machine gun to try and defend them? And the youth are saying: “Oh – no.” I know that not everyone can fight. But help soldiers, work behind lines, volunteers. I think the only thing that matters is winning and achieving freedom for our country.
The interview was conducted by Viktoryia Zahiyak. Its origin is translated from Ukrainian.