Life before the detention

Volodymyr Dudka is a Ukrainian sailor, Captain 2nd Rank of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was born in 1964 in Severodonetsk, Luhansk region.

In 1988, he graduated from the Radio Intelligence Faculty of the Kaliningrad Higher Naval School. After his studies, he served in the 112th Brigade of Reconnaissance Ships of the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean Peninsula. He served on the reconnaissance ships “Odograf” and “Okean,” participating in missions in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Additionally, Volodymyr participated in the international exercises “Sea Breeze-96” and “Sea Breeze-97.” During his service, he welcomed the second President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma, on board the ship. After the temporary occupation of Crimea, he remained on the peninsula.

Persecution

On November 9, 2016, Volodymyr Dudka was detained by the FSB in Sevastopol along with other political prisoners—Oleksii Bessarabov and Dmytro Shtyblikov. They were charged with allegedly “preparing sabotage by an organized group” and possession of weapons.

Following his detention, Volodymyr was held in isolation and subjected to psychological pressure. On April 4, 2019, a Russian so-called court sentenced him to 14 years of imprisonment.

Behind the bars

After the sentencing, Volodymyr Dudka was moved to a penal colony in the Russian city of Stavropol. According to information from his relatives and human rights defenders, his health has deteriorated. In particular, he suffers from a stomach ulcer, hypertension, a skin rash, prostate adenoma, and kidney stones. He also has consistently high blood pressure. At the same time, the so-called administration of the colony does not provide him with full medical care, and his contact with his family remains limited.