The Return of Former Prisoners to Life in Ukraine

• Stanislav Tarnavsky and Denis Zalizny are restoring life after the captivity.
• Psychologists emphasize the necessity of long-term support for former prisoners.
• Music and physical exercises aid in the rehabilitation process.

Kyiv, Ukraine — After being released from Russian captivity in April, 25-year-old Stanislav Tarnavsky is actively trying to rebuild his life in Ukraine, which has been a dream for the last three years.

During the week in July, he already made a proposal to his girlfriend, bought an apartment, and installed a golden retriever.

However, despite all the joy, Tarnavsky cannot forget the trauma that he and thousands of other Ukrainian soldiers experienced during captivity. According to the UN, many of them reported suffering from starvation, torture, and deprivation. Tarnavsky, who was captured during the battle for Mariupol in April 2022, regularly sees nightmares about prisons where he was held.

"I see officers who watched us. I dream that they want to imprison me again," he says. Remembering, his heart starts to race, and he gets anxious, although he does not realize that he is in the outskirts of Kyiv, where he was forced to move after the occupation of his hometown Berdyansk.

Tarnavsky is one of more than 5,000 former prisoners who have returned to Ukraine and are undergoing rehabilitation with the help of regular consultations. Psychologists emphasize the importance of continuous monitoring of former prisoners, as the consequences of the war can be felt for a long time.

In the photo studio of high ceilings in Kyiv, where Tarnavsky took a photo, the light illuminated white walls. After a few hours of shooting, he still felt the brightness of the light that was there.

But his mood is not stable. The girlfriend, who waited for his return, only recently got used to his unexpected proposal. "I love you very much, I am very glad that you waited for me," Tarnavsky said, holding a bouquet of pink roses and lilies.

Tarnavsky is reminded of thoughts about Tetyana Baiva, with whom he became acquainted in 2021, helping her to learn self-defense three times during captivity.

However, he still feels difficulties in communicating with Baiva about his time in captivity, as he does not want her to worry. After returning home, he was paranoid and felt himself under surveillance — a reaction to constant control in captivity. "If you broke the rules, they (the Russians) came and took you. I still have flashbacks when I see surveillance cameras," he adds.

Every week he feels that it is getting better, that it connects with working with a psychologist.

The Necessity of Long-Term Support

Any small stimulus — a smell, a sound, a color — can evoke traumatic memories in former prisoners, says Ksenia Voznytsyna, director of the psychological health center for veterans "Forest Field" on the outskirts of Kyiv. However, unlike stereotypes, former prisoners are not more aggressive. "They usually isolate themselves, avoid large gatherings of people, and have trust issues," Voznytsyna emphasizes.

"They say that time heals — maybe in five or ten years — but it is not so. Just the feeling becomes less intense," she adds.

Research conducted in 2014, published in the Journal of Preventive Medicine, showed that Israeli former prisoners and veterans, who experienced trauma for 35 years, had higher mortality rates, chronic diseases, and worse self-perceived health, often linked to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The authors of the research assert that it is important to monitor former prisoners and provide them with specialized medical and psychological assistance.

This is confirmed by Denis Zalizny, a 21-year-old former prisoner who returned to Ukraine less than three months ago, but is already engaged, which takes a lot of time. "You cannot isolate yourself. Even if you really want to, you will never forget. This will always follow you," he says.

Zalizny experienced torture, attempted self-harm, and lived in constant fear for about 15 months in Russian captivity. The first time his mother, Maria Zalizna, saw him after his release, she barely recognized him. He was thin and looked "broken," she said, with tears in her eyes.

Now Zalizny has almost completely changed. His skin looks healthy, his muscles are toned, and he has a lot of energy. But in his eyes, there is still sadness.

Two years later, they are helping him move forward and clear his mind — it is music and physical exercises. "The first and second are the most important," says Zalizny.

Like Tarnavsky, he receives regular consultations at the psychological health center "Forest Field." And how many former prisoners, he is still struggling with hypervigilance — constantly scanning the environment. At night he comes to life, and it was so after the recent increase in nightly attacks by the Russian army.

For families of prisoners, the process of reintegration is also complicated. Psychologist Maria Zalizna advises her son to breathe, to avoid frequent ringing. But Denis often calls her, sometimes singing to her on the phone — a skill that he learned in his childhood.

"I love music. Music unites," he says, touching the tattoo with the note, which he got after returning. Even in captivity, he sang to himself, composing songs in his mind about love, peace, and war. Now he dreams of turning this capture into a career as an artist.

"I have become stronger now," he says. "I am not afraid of death, I am not afraid of losing my hand or leg, I am not afraid of dying in battle. I am no longer afraid of anything."

Tags: Ukraine/Well-being