Urgent Action for Ukrainian Activist

This urgent action was successful: Ukrainian activist Kostiantyn Ovsiannikov was released this afternoon after we had started a campaign with our Ukrainian partners.

Thanks to all who supported us in this urgent action!

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Armed forces of the Russian Federation kidnapped civic activist in Prymorsk 

In the early morning of 26 March, Kostiantyn Ovsiannikov was visited at his home and taken away by armed forces of the Russian Federation. His current whereabouts are unknown. 

Ovsiannikov is the head of the civil society organization “Prymorsk 24/7,” and Youth Centre “Portal is” in Prymorsk city, Zaporizhzhia region, in south-eastern Ukraine. Prymorsk has been under Russian occupation since 1st March 2022.

In the past decade, Ovsiannikov has been actively developing local civil society in Prymorsk. He has created development opportunities for youth and children, popularized the multiethnic history of the region, promoted tourism, and preserved the Bulgarian cultural heritage of the city.

Kostiantyn Ovsiannikov is closely connected to the Ukrainian partner organisations of the German peace organisation KURVE Wustrow - Centre for Training and Networking in Nonviolent Action. KURVE Wustrow has been working in Ukraine since 2017 as part of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) - aimed at preventing violence and promoting peace in crisis zones and conflict regions funded by the German government. Ovsiannikov and his organisation were part of a wide variety of peacebuilding activities and supported the CPS project in various ways.

Since the beginning of the current invasion, Kostiantyn has participated in the organisation of peaceful civic protests against the Russian occupation of Prymorsk. He also publicly reported about these protests. 

We call for the urgent release of Kostiantyn Ovsiannikov!