Separatist forces capture a judge who came to his father’s funeral in eastern Ukraine
Three weeks ago, separatists kidnapped the Judge of the Luhansk Court of Appeals, Vitaliy Rudenko, who was coming to his father’s funeral in Krasnodon, a territory uncontrolled by Ukrainian authorities. The incident was disclosed by the chairman of the “Patriot” volunteer organization and member of the hostage exchange negotiating group, Oleg Kotenko, during his commentary on Hromadske Radio.
"The judge had an agreement with a man he knew from the LPR (Luhansk People's Republic) that he would help him with a so-called `green corridor` so that he could visit the town of Krasnodon and bury his parents,” Kotenko said.
According to Kotenko, once the judge drove to the checkpoint, he was stopped and ID’ed, then the local ”MGB” (Security Service) were called, and Rudenko was arrested.
"Immediately after the arrest, we received a phone report and immediately started the negotiation process. People who arrested him said that they had no claims against him and he is likely to be released on Monday. We were waiting but Olya Kobtseva [LPR negotiator on captives] intervened and he will be exchanged,” a negotiator added.
Although several days ago Rudenko was charged by the LPR with high treason. The judge is accused of allegedly having ruled to arrest a director of the local utility service, which deprived the LPR of their water supply.
"Now he is held in a pre-trial detention facility. He has not been tortured," Kotenko said. According to him, the prisoner had not pleaded guilty but as his wife says, he signed some documents.
Kotenko also noted that Ukraine has not officially reported the judge’s kidnapping in the hope of a fast exchange. According to him, Rudenko has been put on the exchange list.
There are about 100 persons which are known to have been captured by the DPR and LPR forces. Separatists demand the release of 600 persons by Ukrainian authorities in exchange for those 100 captives.