How a Russian couple helped Ukraine's struggle effort

[ad_1] Ilya Barabanov and Anastasia Lotareva BBC Information Russian

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4bb3/live/8fd2f980-34a2-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="BBC A middle-aged man and woman, sitting in front of a wall and a tree, look at the camera " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> BBC Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov had lengthy been disillusioned with trendy Russia once they determined to maneuver to Ukraine

It was shortly after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 that Sergei and Tatyana Voronkov determined they would depart Russia.

The couple, who had lengthy been essential of Vladimir Putin, had condemned the actions of Russia to pals and acquaintances. In response, they have been instructed that in the event that they did not prefer it they might go away.

So the couple, each Russian residents, determined to relocate to Ukraine, the place Tatyana was born.

In 2019 they finally settled in Novolyubymivka, a village of about 300 individuals within the south-eastern Zaporizhzhia area.

The couple acquired 4 canine and began elevating livestock, whereas Sergei, 55, additionally discovered work as a land surveyor – his specialism throughout his time within the Soviet military.

They hoped for a quiet life. However when Moscow launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the peace of their new lives was shattered by the primary Russian rockets flying over their dwelling.

"I heard one thing whistling, one thing flying, and I went exterior," Tatyana, 52, remembers.

"A rocket was flying proper over the home.

"I went on the web to see what had occurred they usually wrote that Kyiv had already been bombed."

The couple shortly discovered themselves in occupied territory, and determined to grow to be informants for Ukraine.

What adopted was detention, interrogation, an escape into Europe – and a letter of thanks from the Ukrainian military.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6e5e/live/c71d5fb0-34a3-11f0-8947-7d6241f9fce9.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="FAMILY ARCHIVE Sergei and Tatyana in a public square in Moscow, with a fountain and statue behind them. She is wearing a blue and white dress and he is wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> FAMILY ARCHIVE Sergei and Tatyana in Moscow earlier than they moved to dwell in Ukraine

It was when a Russian convoy handed their dwelling for the primary time that Tatyana determined to behave.

She ran inside and messaged an acquaintance in Kyiv, whom she believed had contacts in Ukraine's safety companies.

The contact despatched her a hyperlink to a chatbot on messaging app Telegram which instructed her they'd be contacted by an individual with a singular identifier.

The couple have been then requested to offer the placement and particulars of Russian digital warfare programs and army {hardware} they'd seen, notably missile programs and tanks.

The areas would assist the Ukrainian military goal and destroy Russian troops within the space with drones and artillery.

"We did not consider it as treason," says Tatyana, who together with Sergei insists the data they gave didn't lead to any strikes on civilians or civilian infrastructure.

"No person attacked Russia. This was a battle towards evil."

For 2 years, Sergei would gather coordinates and Tatyana would transmit them from her cellphone - eradicating all traces of the messages afterwards - as and when their village's web entry allowed them to take action.

However all of this got here to an finish when Sergei was detained in April 2024 by armed males whereas he was purchasing for gardening seeds within the regional centre of Tokmak.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/de9d/live/52063ee0-34a3-11f0-bebc-f958f2f43d2b.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Anadolu Agency via Getty Images A line of Russian military trucks driving along a road." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Anadolu Company by way of Getty Photographs A Russian army convoy transferring in direction of the Donbas area in February 2022

Interrogated in a pit

Sergei says he was taken to an deserted home and put in a chilly basement pit - round two metres vast and three metres deep - the place he slept in a squatting place.

The following day he was questioned about whether or not he had handed particulars of Russian positions to the Ukrainians. Sergei says a bag was saved over his head throughout the interrogation and he was threatened with violence.

After initially denying his involvement, Sergei confessed on the fourth day of his captivity, fearing that if he have been subjected to violence he may accidently implicate others.

Whereas all of this was taking place, Tatyana was desperately trying to find data on his whereabouts.

She travelled the world and phoned hospitals and morgues, whereas the couple's son, who was nonetheless residing close to Moscow, contacted varied authorities there.

Ten days after Sergei's arrest, safety forces searched the Voronkovs' dwelling and dug up $4,400 that had been hidden by the couple of their backyard.

Shortly after, Tatyana was instructed that her husband was "sitting in a basement" and was with Russia's safety companies, the FSB.

Weeks later, after 37 days in captivity, Sergei was made to admit to aiding Ukraine on digicam by individuals who launched themselves to him as FSB.

However to his shock, he was launched two days later, although virtually all of his paperwork, together with his passport, have been confiscated.

To at the present time, Sergei and Tatyana don't perceive why he was launched.

Nonetheless, the BBC understands this isn't unusual in components of Ukraine occupied by Russia, the place investigative and judicial processes lack transparency and infrequently no explanations are given as to why an individual is detained or launched.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/cd3c/live/41602940-358c-11f0-9b2c-138cad92aeb3.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="FAMILY ARCHIVE Two photos - one shows Sergei sitting down with a black and white cat on his lap, and the other shows him walking in the garden with a black dog. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> FAMILY ARCHIVE Sergei and his pets at his dwelling in Novolyubymivka

Within the weeks after Sergei's launch, the couple consider they have been saved underneath surveillance, with automobiles continually driving as much as their dwelling and strangers asking them in the event that they have been promoting something.

Believing they'd by no means be left alone, the couple started plotting a approach to go away.

After consulting human rights activists, Sergei and Tatyana determined to attempt to journey to Lithuania. However to try this, they wanted to return to Russia first to get Sergei a brand new passport.

Their neighbours in Novolyubymivka helped by shopping for livestock and family home equipment from them. The couple even managed to discover a new dwelling for his or her canine, which Sergei says was his largest fear.

Escape with a rubber ring

The couple set off of their automotive.

Fearing they could possibly be pulled over and quizzed by Russian forces, they made up a canopy story about going to the seaside to get contemporary air for Tatyana, who has bronchial asthma. They even introduced a straw hat and a rubber ring to make the story extra convincing.

However ultimately they weren't stopped.

The couple have been initially denied entry into Russia, however have been finally in a position to enter after Sergei acquired a certificates proving he had utilized for a brand new passport.

After delays in getting his passport and a thwarted try to go away Russia by way of Belarus, Sergei purchased a faux passport via Telegram.

The couple have been then in a position to journey by bus to Belarus and cross the border utilizing Sergei's solid doc. From there, they crossed into Lithuania, a member of the European Union and a detailed ally of Ukraine, although Sergei was detained for holding solid paperwork.

He was later discovered responsible of utilizing a faux passport by a Lithuanian court docket.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b9ba/live/6450aa60-30b4-11f0-96c3-cf669419a2b0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Anadolu Agency via Getty Images A woman pulling a small suitcase approaches a road crossing. There is a barrier, to her left and gates and fences in front of her. There is a red stop sign in the foreground. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Anadolu Company by way of Getty Photographs Sergei managed to get into Lithuania, a member of EU, utilizing a faux passport, however was later prosecuted by Lithuanian authorities

The couple are actually residing in a shelter for asylum seekers and hope to settle in Lithuania.

The Ukrainian military despatched them a letter of thanks - on the request of their former handler in Kyiv - to help their utility for asylum. The BBC has seen a replica of the letter.

The BBC has additionally seen paperwork from official our bodies in each Russia and Ukraine that verify what occurred to the Voronkovs. We're not reproducing them to guard the identities of these concerned.

The Voronkovs' actions have triggered deep rifts within the household.

Their son, who stays in Russia, stopped speaking to his mother and father after studying what they'd completed. Sergei's mom, who's 87, nonetheless lives in Russia and is supportive of the struggle and President Putin.