Seven months after the start of the war in Ukraine, prisoners of war were exchanged on both sides. Fighters from the Azov Steelworks were also released. Among them the soldier Mykhailo Dianow. He was one of 215 Mariupol defenders exchanged on September 21 for 55 Russian prisoners and Viktor Medvedchuk, Putin’s right-hand man in Ukraine. Expressive images are now going around the world showing the hunter before and after his captivity.
There are just over four months between shots of the same person (pictured above). But Mykhailo Dianov, a member of the Ukrainian volunteer battalion Azov regime, is barely recognizable at first glance. In both photos, he is wearing a worn vest and forming a V sign for “Victory” with the fingers of his left hand. A friendly looking man.
However, the second shot, released by the Ukrainian security service on September 21, shows Dianov with deep-set eyes and a new haircut. The shaggy full beard is shaved off. But above all, you see one thing in him: relief.
Almost three months in Russian captivity
During the bitter fighting around the Azov steel factory in the port city of Mariupol, in which fighters of the Ukrainian Azov regiment had been holed up for several weeks, Dianov was captured by the Russians. The invaders held him for nearly three months. According to the TLZ, Dianow was released on Wednesday as part of the largest prisoner swap since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.
Malnourished and with a deformed upper arm
Two days after Dianov’s release, his sister Olena Lavrushko took a photo of the soldier at a hospital in Kiev. It shows the brave man with a deformed right upper arm and completely malnourished (see tweet). According to information from bild.de, the fighter must have suffered a gunshot wound at the steel mill, so an external fixator was placed on his right upper arm. This is a metal splint placed through the skin for the initial treatment of broken bones. He also went into Russian captivity with this splint, where he must have been removed from him.
According to his sister Olena, Dianow received no further medical attention.
Mykhailo Dianov is 42 years old and lives in Ternopil. According to information from “hromadske international” he graduated from music school with a degree in piano, but his real musical passion is the guitar. He also likes fishing and reading. On February 6, 2020, Mykhailo Dianow wrote on his Facebook page: “I can die how and when I want – it’s not up to me to decide. But it’s in my power to choose how I live. Brave or calm “Here I’m just omnipotent. It’s clear. It’s an axiom. If something bad happens in the world, you can’t do anything or you can do something. I haven’t tried anything.”
Exchange shortly after partial mobilization of reservists
The announcement of the prisoner swap came shortly after Putin ordered the partial mobilization of 300,000 reservists on Wednesday. The exchange was preceded by lengthy negotiations, for which Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also met with a special envoy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to reports from the country’s state media.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
