Protests have started in Kyiv, demanding the release of military servicemen who were captured by Russia during the battles for the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, especially the city's Azovstal metallurgical plant.

Natalia Kravtsova, the mother of one of them, told Report that her son participated in the defense of Mariupol for three months.

According to her, she is a member of the "Don’t hush, they are killing the prisoners" movement, they have been holding an action every Sunday for two months.

Kravtsova said that they convey to foreign countries and international organizations the bitter consequences of the war, the cruel war against Ukraine, and the inhumane treatment of captured Ukrainian soldiers by Russia.

She said that only a small part of the 700 prisoners in Russia were returned: "We remember the defenders of Mariupol with respect. Because they heroically defended the city for 3 months and created conditions to regroup in other areas of Ukraine."

Liliya Ivashchyk is also a participant of the action. Her lover is currently in captivity in Russia.

"He is one of the fighters who left Azovstal and surrendered to the other side upon the order of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I want everyone to pay attention to this issue. We cannot forget our heroes. They heroically defended their homeland, said Ivashchyk.

Alisha Shemak said that her husband has been in captivity for 20 months. He was captured in May 2022 near the "Azovstal" plant.

"Our goal in holding the action is to inform society and the top leadership of the country that our loved ones are still in captivity. We must increase our efforts for their release. Pressure must be placed on international organizations to deal more closely with this issue, Shemak stressed.

The son of protester Svetlana Vinakurova was a soldier of the Azov brigade. She said that the purpose of holding the action is to demand the release of the prisoners: "My only son is in captivity. They don't change them. Not only do they not change, they don't even let representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross visit them. Russia does not officially confirm that they were captured. I want my son to be released. He has been in captivity for almost two years, we cannot get any information from him," said Vinakurova.