Olexander Pavlenko was kidnapped on July 11. Before Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the 50-year-old Melitopol resident worked in a furniture shop. After the occupation of the city he lost his job.

On that ill-fated evening, Olexander and hos friend were sitting on a bench outside his own house. Four soldiers approached him, asked his name and surname, and stormed the house. They rummaged the house, garage, and car. They did not find anything that could have suspicious and therefore interesting to them, but they took Olexander's passport and phone and ordered him to follow them. They did not even let him change his clothes. To the question, “why am I being detained?” they answered, “you'll find out later”. Olexander's relatives have not seen him since then.

Later, in a private conversation, one of the Russians confessed to Pavlenko's wife: her husband was snitched on by a neighbor who collaborated with the occupants. Pavlenkos used to have conflicts with him before the war.

Nevertheless - what Alexander is being accused of and where he is being held is unknown to this day. His wife has been regularly visiting all the occupation district commander's offices and police stations for the past three months. The answer is the same everywhere: “We have no one like that”.