Wife of detained Ukrainian opposition leader asks Turkish president for help in getting husband released

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - The wife of Ukrainian opposition politician Viktor Medvedchuk, who was arrested in Ukraine, asked world leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for support in getting her husband released.

Oksana Marchenko said she will send letters to parliaments of all countries, including Europe, to ask for help.

"There is no guarantee that they will read it. But I will send these letters wherever I can," she said at a news conference in Moscow, while noting she decided to use every opportunity.

Asked why she asked Erdogan for help, Marchenko said: "Today President Erdogan is the only independent politician in Europe who takes his own decisions and conducts his own politics, defines political moves and strategy.”

She said Turkey has provided the opportunity for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and she is confident that a strong head of state like Erdogan can influence Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"I am sure that President Erdogan has heard me and will do absolutely everything to help my husband get rid of the iron bars of the Ukrainian Security Service," said Marchenko.

She added that she strongly believes her husband was tortured after being captured.

Marchenko also noted that she does not know the current location of her husband, which makes it impossible to provide him with legal protection and medical assistance.

She said she left Ukraine on Feb. 18 and was not in touch with Medvedchuk for a week or two. a tried to search for him after his disappearance but with no result.

Medvedchuk, recognized as the leader of the Opposition Platform for Life, known as the second-largest party in Ukraine, was declared a suspect on charges of state treason after which he was placed under house arrest.

Before the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, the prosecutor's office in Ukraine announced that Medvedchuk disappeared in violation of the order not to leave his house and then the court issued a search warrant.

On April 12, Zelenskyy announced that Medvedchuk had been detained and suggested exchanging Medvedchuk for Ukrainian prisoners of war.