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Ukrainian Teacher Rescued After Four Years in Russian-Occupied Territory
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![Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko]( "Photo of Dariia Mykhailenko")
Ukraine’s military intelligence has successfully rescued Natalia Shylo, a physics and computer science teacher, from Russian-occupied territory. She had been held by self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DPR ) since 2021. Shylo is safely back in Kyiv on April 14.
Natalia, originally from Horlivka in the Donetsk region, left her hometown in 2014 following the start of Russia’s military aggression. She relocated to Kharkiv with her daughter, and since 2021 has been living and working in Kyiv.
According to her daughter, Iryna, Natalia had publicly expressed pro-Ukrainian views on social media. She had previously experienced issues at checkpoints when entering occupied territory, including having her documents and phone confiscated by militants.
In July 2021, Shylo went to occupied Horlivka to care for her ill mother. At the time, the only available route was through Russia. On July 5, she informed her daughter that she was nearing the administrative line between Russia and DPR-controlled territory and would call again upon arrival. That was the last call from her.
Shortly afterward, Shylo was detained by DPR militants. Her family was later contacted by representatives of the “Ministry of State Security of the DPR,” who claimed she was suspected of espionage on behalf of Ukraine. She was held in a detention center (SIZO) in Donetsk.
In Natalia Shylo’s case, the so-called “criminal prosecution” was eventually terminated — likely after Russia formally annexed the occupied territories and began illegally applying its own legislation. She was released from the Donetsk detention center but was not permitted to leave the occupied territory.
Former hostage Liudmyla Huseinova — previously held with Shylo — initiated contact with Ukrainian intelligence, who succeeded in ‘evacuating’ Natalia.
Earlier, Ukrainian law enforcement has identified a Russian serviceman suspected of organising the forced deportation of a resident from the Izyum region to Belgorod, where she was reportedly held in captivity and subjected to physical and psychological abuse for over a year.
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
