Illia Samoilenko (officer)

Illia Samoilenko (Ukrainian: Ілля Сергійович Самойленко; born 10 July 1994[1]) is a Ukrainian serviceman, an intelligence officer of the Azov Regiment[2][3][4] of the National Guard of Ukraine,[5][6] and a participant in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Biography

Samoilenko studied at the Faculty of History of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. He dreams of completing his studies after the war. His callsign is Gandalf.[7][8]

In 2015, he began military service in the ATO/OOS zone as part of the Azov Regiment when he was 21 years old. He lost his left arm and right eye during the fighting (he now has a titanium mechanical prosthesis and an artificial eye).[9]

Since the beginning of the blockade of Mariupol, he and his colleagues were in the Azovstal iron and steel works. From the basement of the plant, Samoilenko gave several news updates.[10] On May 8, 2022, he held a press conference for representatives of foreign media in English.[11][12]

He was captured on May 20, 2022.[13] In an interview to the BBC he said that he was held in solitary confinement in Russia for 120 days.[14]

On September 21, 2022, he was released from captivity.[15][16]

References
  1. "Відбувся черговий обмін військовополоненими. Додому повернулося 215 українських захисників та захисниць". 21 September 2022.
  2. "Azovstal defenders: 'Surrender is not an option'". 8 May 2022.
  3. "'Mariupol is the city of the dead.' One soldier's first-hand account of life on the front lines". CTVNews. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  4. "Nous n'allons pas nous rendre": affirme Ilya Samoïlenko, militaire ukrainien dans l'usine Azovstal (in French), retrieved 2022-05-16
  5. Лілія Рагуцька, «Людина залізної сили волі»: у Нацгвардії розповіли про захисника Маріуполя Іллю Самойленка. Фото // OBOZREVATEL, May 10, 2022
  6. Defiant Ukrainian soldier says, 'The fight for Mariupol is NOT over', retrieved 2022-05-16
  7. Ми повернулися в іншу країну, – боєць «Азову» «Гендальф» про звільнених з полону, retrieved 2022-10-18
  8. 🔥 "Під Азовсталлю - лабораторія НАТО, а військові - наркомани": Ілля "Гендальф" Самойленко, retrieved 2022-10-18
  9. "Titanium Arm And Iron Will: Some Facts About Legendary Defender Of Mariupol". charter97.org. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  10. Ukraine war: 'Capture means death to us', says Azov Brigade officer in Mariupol, retrieved 2022-10-18
  11. "Azovstal defenders: Surrender is not an option". Kyiv Independent. 8 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  12. Валентина Романенко, Захисники Маріуполя мають чотири варіанти дій, але полон означатиме смерть — «Азов» // Українська правда, May 8, 2022
  13. Melissa Mancini; Susan Ormiston (23 August 2022). "Mother of Mariupol steel plant defender has only rumours and hope, 3 months after his capture". CBC.
  14. ""Думав, я вже не повернусь": азовець Ілля Самойленко - про російський полон". BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  15. Vega, Luis de (28 September 2022). "Love in times of war: Ukrainian POW and girlfriend reunited after prisoner exchange". EL PAÍS English Edition. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  16. "Ілля Самойленко з полку "Азов" про полон і оборону Маріуполя – DW – 14.10.2022". dw.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2022-10-26.

Sources
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