On the work of her husband in Crimea, detention, and provocations by the FSB. Interview with Kateryna Yesypenko, wife of political prisoner Vladyslav Yesypenko 

On March 16th, the Russian FSB published a statement saying that Yesypenko had been arrested in the middle of the route from Simferopol to Alushta. Yelyzaveta Pavlenko was arrested together with him. Upon a search at Pavlenko’s apartment, FSB released her. In the meantime, Yesypenko was detained on charges of espionage in favor of the Ukrainian security services. 

It became known later that Vladyslav Yesypenko is a freelance reporter for the Krym.Realii project by Radio Liberty. He also had a specific editorial task to perform in Crimea. 

According to the FSB, Yesypenko “conducted photo- and video- filming of the surroundings, critical infrastructure and places of mass concentration of people in Crimea.” During the arrest, FSB officers have allegedly found a grenade in Yesypenko’s vehicle. 

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine issued a statement saying that this arrest is a propagandist operation by the FSB, dedicated to the anniversary of the Russian occupation of Crimea. 

On April 6th, during the hearing of the Russia-controlled “Supreme court of Crimea,” Yesypenko claimed that FSB had tortured him in order to force him to acknowledge his involvement in espionage.   

The QirimInfo informational center contacted Kateryna Yesypenko, the wife of the detained Vladyslav Yesypenko. She told us about the real goals of Vladyslav’s presence in Crimea, their connections to the peninsula, and about attempts of the FSB to lure her to Crimea.   

Kateryna and Vladyslav Yesypenko

Kateryna, tell us, please, has your husband ever been related to intelligence? 

He has been working with Krym.Realii for around four years, from 2017. He visited Crimea whenever he had an editorial task. This was around once in two months. More or less. There was no specific schedule. 

How long has Vladyslav been working for Krym.Realii? How often did he have to visit Crimea to perform editorial tasks for them? 

Vlad went to Crimea on February 23rd to perform the editorial task by Krym.Realii. Usually, those were lengthy business trips that lasted for 2-3 weeks. 

Why did Vladyslav go to Crimea? 

Absolutely not! This is a gimmick. It is necessary [to the Russian FSB] to demonstrate their performance. Vlad served during the Soviet times. He was a part of the Soviet forces in Germany if I remember correctly. That was in 1988-1989. 

Do you know what kind of information your husband allegedly collected, according to FSB? 

On March 9th, Vlad…. He had an editorial task to record the demonstration of laying flowers in front of the monument to Taras Shevchenko. Ukrainian activists, including Yelyzaveta Pavlenko attended this demonstration. He interviewed her as well. On the next day, both of them went to Simferopol to visit archbishop Klement. They got arrested on their way back. As per details of the arrest, I only know whatever was publicly announced by the FSB. That is, Vlad was captured, taken out of the car, although he did not resist. At that moment, the car appeared in full access for the FSB officers. It was possible to plant there anything they wanted. That was what FSB did: they planted a grenade or a dummy or an object that looks like a grenade. Later we found out from Vlad that FSB forcefully took biological material from him – his saliva. Apparently, this is necessary to put that saliva on the grenade and use this “fact” as fabricated evidence against Vlad. 

Vladyslav got arrested together with a Crimean activist Yelyzaveta Pavlenko. Was she helping Vladyslav with his journalistic work? 

No. Vladyslav and I were born in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk region. We moved to Crimea in early 2013. We wanted this so much. This was our dream. We were seeking a better, more comfortable life for our future child, for our family. So we reached our goal. 

Were you both born in Crimea? 

It is a miracle, but lawyers managed to enter that case. They managed to get the appointed defender Sineglazova recursed. By the way, there is a complaint against her at the law chamber of Crimea. Vlad told her that the grenade had been planted, that he suffered tortures. But she ignored this information and took no action. Moreover, Vlad mentioned tortures during the interrogation by the prosecutor. This was recorded in minutes of the interrogation. Now the prosecutor must separate that information into another case and send it to the military-investigative department. In addition, during the court hearing on April 6th Vlad mentioned tortures as well. He also said that if he refuses of his defenders in the future, this will be a refusal made under torture. I believe he made this statement at the right time because this statement protects him at least to some extent. At this moment there are three defenders – Oleksii Ladin, Taras Omelchenko and Emil Kurbedinov. 

Who is defending Vladyslav in court? 

Together with Vlad’s sister and brother, we are dealing with this question. We appeal to governmental institutions but receive only standard responses. From those responses, it is unclear what the government is planning to do for Vladyslav to get released. 

Do representatives of the Ukrainian government contact you regarding this arrest and future release of Vladyslav? 

Vlad visited Crimea on editorial tasks from Krym.Realii. He usually focused on social topics. He showed the life of people in Crimea, in occupied territories. This was normal journalistic work. It was only complicated by the fact that it took place on the occupied territory. He was arrested on charges under art. 223-1 part 1 – illegal manufacture of explosives. In terms of information that he allegedly collected for special services… well, sorry, but those brutal and inhumane tortures that FSB offices use against the detained… one can admit anything. Of course, that was self-incrimination. 

What do you personally feel about all this? 

He was allowed to call me twice. But this was not done because [FSB officers] were so kind, but because of their own goal – to make me and my child come to Crimea. This is a normal tactic of FSB when they arrest relatives of political prisoners in order to then pressure those political prisoners and make them admit doing the thing they have never done. Just so that FSB leaves those relatives alone. In this case, one would admit to being a spy and even being the Roman Pope. This is why right now, we only communicate through lawyers. He called and said that investigator Vlasov allowed me and my child to come, allowed a visit. Why wouldn’t I use the possibility, he said? I thought this was a strange call, a dangerous one. I know my husband. By the tone and sound of his voice, I felt this [the danger of visiting Crimea]. 

Did you personally get a chance to talk to Vladyslav after he got arrested? 

The court hearing of April 6th was a turning point in our situation. We had not known where Vlad was and in what condition. FSB officers were hiding all the information about Vladyslav. And on April 6th, lawyers managed to attend the hearing. Vlad was brought there too. After that date, lawyers are now able to see Vladyslav. 

Do lawyers get an opportunity to see Vladyslav? 

I think that those who work for the FSB and torture other people do not do that because their lives are very good. Those are even more miserable people than political prisoners. 

This is why I do not have… I do not have resentment. I believe that the price for those actions [by the Russian FSB] will be paid in the future. 

The coalition of civic organizations, including CrimeaSOS, issued a statement condemning the detention of the Ukrainian citizen by the Russian law enforcement services in Crimea. 

Among other people, a 6-year old daughter of Vladyslav Yesypenko is waiting for her father at home.