Electric shock torture and broken teeth: Yevhen Chudnetsov, previously captured by DPR, now fights in Azovstal

Today we have the story of 31-year-old Yevhen Chudnetsov, who experienced hellish conditions before. In 2015, he was captured and sentenced to 30 years in prison by pro-Russian authorities.

Before captivity

Yevhen Chudnetsov was born in Makiyivka. He studied martial arts since childhood, read a lot, was interested in politics, told Yevhen’s friends in 2017. In childhood he didn’t want to become a military, but a veterinarian. Yevhen wanted to start serving in 2010 when he was 20, but was rejected.

Yevhen confesses: in adolescence before he began to think independently, he had views close to Russian’s - students in Makiyivka were unchanged extras for ‘Party of Regions’ meetings. Growing up, he began to communicate with football fans from Donetsk. Then he became interested in Norse mythology, runic writing, and one of his comrades made a tattoo of black sun on his shoulder, which later saved his life.

When the ATO began (Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014 - Ed.), Yevhen cut off half of his childhood friends. They were too ‘Russian’ and when the Revolution of dignity began they had way too different opinions. His old friends warned: "They are coming after you." Rather his patriotic posts in social media attracted the attention of pro-Russian activists. Chudnetsov packed his things in less than 20 minutes. He picked them up and joined Azov. It didn’t take long to come up with his call sign, since childhood Chudnetsov was called ‘Chudik.’

Yevhen’s family hadn’t known for long that he went to the front. The fighter didn’t tell them on purpose so they wouldn't get hurt.

In 2014, he became a gunman in Azov. He was a part of the assault group in the Shyrokynsky operation.

"On the last day we cooked soup, and a heavy attack started. Then we parted. Everything was very chaotic - Azov together with separatists. Russians fired at the armored personnel carrier he was in. Yevhen and many people from his regiment received  shrapnel wounds and concussion. When he was taken captive, he wasn’t able to defend himself," later recalled his comrade.

He was captured on February 14, 2015, during the fighting near Shyrokyne.

Captivity

"Russian tank hit our APC. We were scattered and divided. I went out and ran straight to separatists. We shot each other a little, I was hit with grenade ammunition. I fell. When I started climbing, they surrounded me," says Yevhen Chudnetsov later.

He urged that a tattoo saved his life.

"Tattoos saved me. They searched for chevron, pulled and I trident ‘black sun’ on my shoulder. They grabbed my head and said that they'd cut it off with my hand. Then one by radio said: we took a tattooed Azov fighter. They say: take him to Donetsk. At first, being emotional they poke a knife at me and said they would shoot me. Then calmed down."

He explains he was so unusual, perfectly suited for the Russian propaganda, therefore they have saved his life.

"I was the quintessential world of evil: from a volunteer battalion, local with tattooed trident," explained Yevhen.

Later the prisoner was forced to hold a press conference with Russian media, when he had to say memorized text about ‘foreign mercenaries’ and ‘American weapons.’ Before microphones Chudnetsov was with bruises on his face and broken front teeth.

"They knocked my teeth out with pliers. Didn’t even pull one by one, but hit with pliers and my teeth fell out."

 Also, Russians beat him, broke his ribs, extinguished cigarette butts of his head, used current torture.

"Tried to put pressure morally, but who listened to them? They said I’m a traitor. I replied that I gave oath to Ukraine and served my country. And you violated the oath sworn to DPR.

You know, like Goethe said: "There is no futile slavery than the slavery of those servants who consider themselves free from the chains." Our eastern neighbors consider themselves free, but in fact they are slaves. When I was a prisoner, I said to them: "Sitting in this cell, I'm much freer than you walking the streets," continued ‘Chudik.’

Along with other captured soldiers, he was forced to engage in demining and clearing the Donetsk airport. Then Chudnetsov was ‘sentenced’ without a lawyer and without witnesses. Prosecutors demanded the death penalty, the court gave the 30-years imprisonment.

During captivity (almost 3 years) Yevhen’s mom died. For 12 times he was taken away from the list on the prisoner exchange until the end of 2017. Then he left the punishment cell.

After captivity

After a short rehabilitation Yevhen returned to service in the Azov Regiment.

"I like my job, my service, I continue to develop professionally, I want to continue to serve. And those who survived the captivity, don’t lose hope, we must plan a future life, and not to focus on the bad," he said after release.

After signing a new contract, he served as chief of the medical battalion.

"First of all I’m a gunman, the second a paramedic. It means I’m an ordinary soldier, but if something happens, I provide medical care and take people out from the battlefield," explained ‘Chudik.’

By the way, he explained it in Russian. Although he says when necessary he can speak Ukrainian.

"I believe that study in Ukrainian kindergartens, schools, and public institutions should be in the national language. If you don’t know Ukrainian and can’t learn it in a few years, it means that you’re a clinical idiot. Hire a translator."  

Yevhen was recently recognized at Azovstal video from dungeon.

After capture, torture and experiment - he is in the greatest danger. Not surprisingly, at the beginning of 2020, on the question of what he would change if he could take the time back, he replied simply: "I would take more bullets."

His dream is for Ukraine to finish the war with victory.