Kirovohrad Police Detain Suspects in Rape and Imprisonment of 20-Year-Old Boy Who May Have Been in Slavery for Years

In a disturbing case that has captured public attention, police in Kirovohrad region have arrested two men accused of raping and unlawfully imprisoning a 20-year-old boy, who, as per activists, may have been subjected to slavery for several years. The harrowing details of this incident were revealed by war veteran Maksym Kanievskyi, who spoke to the local newspaper Hrechka.

According to Kanievskyi, information regarding the boy's potential experience of sexual and labor slavery for nearly three years at a farm in the village of Dibrivka, Kirovohrad region, was brought to light by concerned individuals after the boy was finally freed. The young man, named Vasyl, reportedly endured severe torture and abuse during his captivity.

“He was tortured, beaten, and raped. His leg was broken with a stick, and while it had not yet healed, it was broken again in the same spot. We do not know if we will be able to save the limb or if it will have to be amputated. The boy is toothless, battered, and covered in scars. They electrocuted him with a shock collar and kept him 'on the remote,'” Kanievskyi recounted, emphasizing the horrific conditions in which Vasyl lived.

The veteran further noted that Vasyl's mother and sister had previously lived under similar circumstances but managed to escape. According to the activist, the young man was fed dry cake and grain, and his hygiene was limited to being washed once a month in a pond with high-pressure water from a hydrant. Local residents were aware of the situation occurring on the farm but were too intimidated to report it to the authorities due to fear.

“People knew but remained silent because everyone knows that these are local bandits who keep everyone in fear. The locals were intimidated; they were afraid for themselves and their families,” Kanievskyi stated.

Ultimately, a friend of Vasyl, along with other concerned individuals, waited for a moment when no one was around the boy. They found him beaten and hiding in a manure pit and managed to transport him to safety. “They took him to another village, provided him with first aid, and transported him to the hospital. From March 9 to March 23, he was in the Bobrynets District Hospital,” the veteran explained.

Kanievskyi also mentioned that when Vasyl was in the hospital, law enforcement recorded the crime as minor bodily injuries. The situation did not gain widespread attention, prompting concerned citizens to reach out to the activist. Maksym reported that he was provided with videos documenting the abuse inflicted on Vasyl. “The people who held him recorded videos of what they did to him and what they forced him to do,” Kanievskyi noted.

On March 31, Vasyl was brought to the regional hospital in Kropyvnytskyi, where concerned citizens purchased him a mobile phone, clothes, and food. Doctors are conducting examinations and necessary tests, while activists have found a lawyer for Vasyl. On April 1, a rally was held outside the police station in Bobrynets, demanding the arrest of the farmer and his accomplice for their alleged crimes.

According to Kanievskyi, three men are implicated in the crime: the farmer, his friend, and a resident of a neighboring village. The third suspect was under house arrest for another criminal case. People also demanded a change in the classification of the case. “What minor injuries? If the boy has a fractured skull, a broken leg in two places, and broken fingers on both hands? He cannot walk,” said Nataliia Horetska, who previously worked as the head of the children's affairs service and remembers Vasyl and his family.

Oleg Petrov, head of the police department No. 3 in Bobrynets of the Kropyvnytskyi district police, stated that law enforcement learned about the situation on March 23 when Vasyl approached them directly. “The police became aware of this fact at the moment the individual approached the police. I will tell you more, about a year ago, a community police officer, together with the children's affairs service of the Bobrynets City Council, visited the areas where this boy lived. We did not see or hear from him about any illegal actions against him,” Petrov remarked.

However, according to Kanievskyi, individuals who could have committed the crime intimidated local residents, and local law enforcement, as the veteran claims, were aware of the crime but did not respond, and are now attempting to “cover up” the case. “The victim clearly indicates that before any inspections were supposed to arrive, local police called the [alleged criminals] and warned them that a raid would occur. Our community police officers, who were supposed to control this. The child was in slavery for three years, in sexual, psychological, and physical slavery; he was tortured, and very horrific things were done to him. And everyone knew,” the veteran emphasized.

Following the public outcry, on April 2, representatives of the Main Directorate of the National Police of Kirovohrad region announced the arrest of a man born in 1987, who is suspected of unlawfully imprisoning the boy born in 2006. During the investigation, it was revealed that the suspect is a serviceman who had deserted his post. The head of the regional police, Andrii Dubrov, stated that the suspect faces up to ten years in prison.

On April 3, law enforcement announced the arrest of a 24-year-old man suspected of raping the 2006-born boy. The alleged perpetrator also faces up to ten years in prison.