Detention: In May 2024, Leonid Malick disappeared. For several days, his family was unaware of his whereabouts.

Sentence: As of July 19, 2026, there is no final verdict. The Russian Federation accuses Leonid Malick of 'treason' and 'illegal trafficking of radioactive substances.' Human rights advocates consider the persecution politically motivated and emphasize that the charges are based on fabricated grounds.

Leonid Mykolayovych Malick was born in 1970 in Donetsk region. Before Russia's full-scale invasion, he worked at a facility in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone as a decontamination workshop foreman. His job involved the disposal and cleaning of equipment used in the exclusion zone. Later, he moved to Novotroitske, Kherson region, and after the occupation of the area, he worked as a taxi driver in Berdyansk.

After the full-scale invasion began, Leonid remained in the temporarily occupied territory. Due to the occupation, he was forced to obtain a Russian passport, as it was nearly impossible to work or travel without it. According to his daughter Maria, he regularly kept in touch with his family and tried to avoid any activities that might attract the attention of the occupying authorities.

In May 2024, Leonid Malick disappeared. For several days, his family was unaware of his whereabouts. It later became known that he was abducted by Russian security forces. Only after some time did the family learn that he was in custody and a criminal case had been opened against him.

The Russian investigation brought an unusual charge against Leonid. Besides 'treason,' he was accused of 'illegal trafficking of radioactive substances,' citing his years of work at the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone facility. His family and human rights advocates stress that professional activities at a state enterprise cannot be evidence of a crime, and the charges appear artificially constructed to intensify criminal prosecution.

After his abduction, Leonid was held in the occupied territory without proper access to a lawyer or contact with his family. He was later transferred to temporarily occupied Donetsk. The family reported that the occupying authorities planned to transfer him to Crimea for further judicial proceedings. The conditions of his detention remain unknown, and information about the case's progress is only received sporadically.

Leonid's daughter Maria publicly speaks about his unlawful persecution and participates in campaigns supporting Ukrainian civilian prisoners. She states that her father is an ordinary civilian who never participated in military actions. The family hopes for his inclusion in future exchanges and calls on the international community to pay attention to his case.

As of July 19, 2026, Leonid Malick remains in Russian captivity. There is no information in open sources about a final verdict or his release.

Information used from open sources: ZMINA, Suspilne Crimea, Donbas News, Office of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.

Photo: Suspilne Crimea.

Update date: 19.07.2026.