Voldomyr Zelenskyy: Latest News

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Four out of the seven Sri Lankans who were held captive by Russian forces in Ukraine have been identified as medical students in the city of Kupiansk, while the other three were identified as workers.This information is being revealed in contrast to the rumors circulating with regard to the captured Sri Lankans being illegal immigrants, and the Ukrainian President Zelenskyy's brief about the seven Sri Lankans being medical students.A report by the Associated Press citing a press conference held at Kharkiv Police states that the Sri Lankans were tortured at a factory in the area which was captured by Russian forces, and were beaten, mainly because they could not understad the language.The former captives include Nilojan Vasanthakumar, 20, Uthayakamar Mary Edid Prema, 50, Sharujan Gianeswaran, 25, Thinees Jokenthhiran, 34, Dilukshan Robertclive, 25, Dilujan Paththinajakan, 20 and Ainkaranathan Ganesamoorthi, 38.According to the captured Sri Lankans, six among the group were held in a large upstairs room, while the seventh, the only woman, was kept in a dark cell by herself. On 17th September, the Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskyy in his briefing noted that seven Sri Lankan students were found in 'torture chambers' where civilians were abused by Russian soldiers in areas of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine. One man said he was shot in the foot by the Russian captors. Another had a toenail ripped off after the soldiers repeatedly bashed it with the butt of a rifle.“Every day we were cleaning toilets and bathrooms,” Dilukshan Robertclive, one of the former captives, said in English.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – On 17th September, the Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskyy in his briefing noted that seven Sri Lankan students were found in 'torture chambers' where civilians were abused by Russian soldiers in areas of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine. The Russian InvasionOn 24th of February, Russian forces initiated what they dubbed as a 'special operation', which was later declared by Russia as an operation for the “liberation of Donbas” – broadly referring to Ukraine’s regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.More than a third of this area was already seized by Russian proxy forces in a war that began in 2014.The liberation of IziumIzium was subject to intense Russian artillery attacks in April.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that it has ascertained with regard to veracity of information of the seven Sri Lankan medical students who were discovered in the recaptured region of Kharkiv, Ukraine.The Ministry also stated that it has requested to provide more information on it as a matter of priority, given the need to ensure the welfare of Sri Lankan nationals in Ukraine, and assures that it is in contact with Ukrainian Government through the Embassy in Ankara.A briefing by the Ukrainian President Voldomyr Zelenskyy on Saturday (17) revealed that seven Sri Lankan students, who were attending Kupyansk Medical College, were discovered in a basement in the recaptured area. The students were being held in the area since last March, and were being directed for medical attention, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said.The full release is as follows;The attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been drawn to a news item which has appeared in the local print and electronic media and is circulating on social media on 17 September, with regard to the rescue of seven (07) Sri Lankan students from Kupyansk Medical College in the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.The Ministry has requested the Ukrainian Government to ascertain the veracity of the news item, as well as to provide more information on it as a matter of priority, given the need to ensure the welfare of Sri Lankan nationals in Ukraine. The Ministry is in close communication with the Ukrainian Government through the Sri Lanka Embassy in Ankara which is concurrently accredited to Ukraine, as well as through the Ukrainian Embassy in New Delhi, in order to obtain further information on this matter.