One of those abducted is Olena Naumova, a Kherson kindergarten teacher and TikTok blogger who had been kidnapped by the Russian military on 23 August and released on 6 September. Her son says she disappeared again on 19 September.
This statement was originally published on imi.org.ua on 23 September 2022.
The Russians have kidnapped three Kherson bloggers who had spoken out against the occupiers and supported Ukraine on social media.
Propaganda TV channel Perviy Respublikansky, which broadcasts from occupied Donetsk, reported the news.
The TV host referred to the kidnapped persons “online extremists.”
Among the abducted is Olena Naumova, a Kherson kindergarten teacher and TikTok blogger who had been kidnapped by the Russian military on August 23 and released on September 6.
Her son, Mykola, has already confirmed that she has been kidnapped again. According to Mykola, on September 19, representatives of the occupation authorities (Mykola calls them “curators”) asked Olena if she was ready to leave for the free Ukrainian territory. The woman agreed, and her relatives have not seen her since.
In the propaganda video, Naumova, with a bruise under her eye, apologizes for having insulted the Russian military – in Russian, which has been uncharacteristic for her lately.
Valery Komahorov and his girlfriend, whom the propaganda channel’s host referred to as “Olegivna 29,” were also among the abducted. They ran an Instagram blog, which is banned in Russia; the host called it “a hotbed of Russophobia and Ukrainian extremism.” The bloggers had also set up a TikTok account – koshmarik_olegivna29.
Their blog was quite popular, and their videos were getting a lot of views.
“The actions of the mentioned persons were not detrimental to the ‘state security of Kherson oblast,’ therefore, after [a conversation to this effect] they were issued an official warning,” the host said.
He also added that in case of further “public activity” they would face criminal liability.
As IMI had reported, on August 23, the Russian military kidnapped Olena Naumova from her home in temporarily occupied Kherson. She was released on September 6.
Olena Naumova had published some TikTok videos, in which she talked about life under occupation and had also expressed support for Ukraine.
