Detention: On September 25, 2023, Russian military forces detained Oleh Plachkov following the abduction of his wife, Tetiana Plachkova. After his detention, he was held in a basement used by Russian security forces as an illegal place of detention.

Sentence: As of July 21, 2026, there is no information on any official charges or sentencing. The Russian side does not officially confirm his place of detention. According to the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and his family, Oleh Plachkov is held incommunicado, without contact with the outside world, and without access to a lawyer or family.

Oleh Yuriyovych Plachkov was born on May 15, 1970. Before Russia's full-scale invasion, he lived in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region, with his wife Tetiana. The couple was engaged in business and known among locals as owners of a family café. There is no information in open sources about any political or military activities by Oleh before his detention.

After the occupation of Melitopol by Russian forces, the family remained in the city. In September 2023, Russian security forces abducted Tetiana Plachkova. Shortly after, Oleh was also detained. According to information released by the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, the couple was held in adjacent cells where they were subjected to physical violence and mistreatment.

According to testimonies from their daughter, Liudmyla Melnikova, and human rights defenders, Russian security forces tortured the couple. As a result of the mistreatment, Tetiana Plachkova died in Russian captivity. Her death became known only long after the detention. Human rights defenders consider this case one of the most severe examples of torture of Ukrainian civilians in occupied territories.

After his wife's death, the whereabouts of Oleh Plachkov remained unknown for a long time. Russian authorities informed the family that he was "not listed" and that there were "no claims" against him. Meanwhile, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center reported that, according to available information, he was taken to occupied Crimea and held in complete isolation. There is no contact with him, correspondence is impossible, and there is no official confirmation of his location.

Oleh Plachkov's daughter publicly speaks about the persecution of her family and appeals to Ukrainian law enforcement and international institutions to establish her father's whereabouts. She has also provided DNA samples to determine his fate if necessary. Human rights defenders emphasize that prolonged concealment of information about the whereabouts of a civilian is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and may qualify as enforced disappearance.

As of July 21, 2026, Oleh Plachkov remains unlawfully deprived of liberty. There is no information about his official procedural status, indictment, or sentence. His case remains one of the most tragic examples of enforced disappearances of Ukrainian civilians in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Information used from open sources: Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Melitopol City Council, Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners, Suspilne.

Photo: Crimean Tatar Resource Center.

Update date: 21.07.2026.