Doctors Describe Health Condition of Ukrainians Freed from Russia

Former “Kremlin prisoners” will need to undergo both physical and psychological rehabilitation.

Eleven Ukrainians freed from the Russian Federation will continue treatment at the Feofania Clinical Hospital in Kyiv.

As reports 5 Channel, the returning Ukrainians are in good spirits, and doctors have diagnosed everyone. Each of them needs individual treatment and calm to recover from what they have been through.

According to the doctors, none of them refused treatment. Vladimir Balukh, whom doctors released yesterday, also returned to the hospital this morning. He wanted to spend the evening with his family.

“All patients without exception, even those who currently do not want to be examined and prefer to spend time with relatives, all agree to be examined in the near future, and the near future is Monday,” said Andriy Strokan, Deputy Chief Physician of Feofania.

According to him, the freed prisoners still have to go through a post-isolation period, and they want to spend more time outdoors rather than in enclosed spaces.

On Saturday, August 7, Ukraine and Russia carried out a prisoner exchange. After being released at Boryspil airport, 11 of the 35 Ukrainians were taken to hospital: Roman Sushchenko, Oleg Sentsov, Oleksandr Kolchenko, Vladimir Balukh, Stanislav Klykh, Mykola Karpiuk, Oleksii Sizonovych, Pavlo Hrib, Edem Bekirov, Yevhen Panov and Artur Panov.

Stanislav Klykh was reportedly in serious condition. Today, Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova said that Klykh is indeed in hospital, but not in intensive care.

At least five doctors have already examined another freed prisoner, Edem Bekirov.

“He is an optimistic person, so his condition, as far as a person can tell, is good — said his wife Gulnara Bekirova. — He is glad to be in his homeland. The fifth doctor has come today, and we are waiting for a cardiologist. They have put him on a drip, he is on a drip. Now they are adjusting his insulin and putting together a treatment regimen.”

Bekirov himself later reported that his muscles had atrophied and he may need heart surgery.

“I am on a prosthesis, and my spinal problems have worsened during my time there — the Ukrainian said. — I could not walk, I did not leave the cell, and during this time my muscles atrophied. They are doing tests and scans, and the cardiologist is preparing. I will probably need heart surgery, because there are problems.”

Psychologists are expected to visit the returned Ukrainians on Monday.