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Winnipeg Free Press
3 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former POWs in Russia channel their pain into rebuilding lives in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Since his release from a Russian prison in April, Stanislav Tarnavskyi has been in a hurry to build the life in Ukraine he dreamed about during three years of captivity. The 25-year-old has proposed to his girlfriend, bought an apartment and adopted a golden retriever. And that was just what he accomplished one week in July. But as busy as he is rekindling old relationships and creating new ones, Tarnavskyi cannot shake the trauma he and thousands of other Ukrainian soldiers experienced as prisoners of war. The U.N. says many endured beatings, starvation and humiliation at the hands of their captors — experiences that will leave lifelong scars. Tarnavskyi, who was captured during the battle for Mariupol in April of 2022, regularly has nightmares about the prisons where he was held. 'I see the officers who watched over us. I dream they want to harm me, catch me,' he said. When he wakes up, his heart pounds, anxiety surges — until he realizes he is in the outskirts of Kyiv, where he was forced to move because Russia occupied his hometown of Berdiansk. As the three-year war drags on, Tarnavskyi is one of more than 5,000 former POWs back in Ukraine rehabilitating with the help of regular counseling. Regardless of any physical injuries that may require attention, psychologists say it is vital to monitor former POWs for years after their release; the cost of war, they say, echoes for generations. A marriage proposal In a photography studio high above Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, sunlight floods the white walls. After a shoot that lasted several hours Tarnavskyi said the brightness was hurting his eyes, which are still sensitive from years spent in a dark cell. But his mood couldn't be dimmed. The girlfriend who waited for his return had just consented to his surprise proposal. 'I love you very much, I am very glad that you waited for me,' Tarnavskyi said, holding a thick bouquet of pink roses and a ring. 'You have always been my support, and I hope you will remain so for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?' Tarnavskyi said it was the thought of Tetiana Baieva — whom he met in 2021 — that helped stop him from committing suicide three times during captivity. Still, he finds it hard to talk with Baieva about his time in prison. He doesn't want to be pitied. Soon after he returned home, he was paranoid, feeling watched — a reaction to constant surveillance in prison. 'If you stepped out of line, they'd (Russians) come and beat you. I still get flashbacks when I see (surveillance) cameras. If I see one, I get nervous,' he said. But with each passing week, he is feeling better, progress Tarnavskyi credits to the work he is doing with a psychologist. Lifelong care is vital Any small stimulus — a smell, a breeze, a color — can trigger traumatic memories for POWs, says Kseniia Voznitsyna, the director of Ukraine's Lisova Polyana mental health center for veterans on the outskirts of Kyiv. Yet contrary to stereotypes, ex-POWs aren't more aggressive. 'They tend to isolate themselves, avoid large gatherings, and struggle with trust,' said Voznitsyna. 'They say time heals — five or ten years, maybe — but it doesn't,' she added. 'It just feels less intense.' A 2014 study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that Israeli ex-POWs and combat veterans tracked over 35 years had higher mortality rates, chronic illnesses and worse self-rated health — conditions partly tied to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The authors of the study said that is why it is crucial to monitor ex-POWs and give them specialized medical and psychological care as they age. That logic rings true to Denys Zalizko, a 21-year-old former POW who has been back in Ukraine for less than three months but is already sure his recovery will take a long time. 'You can't fool yourself. Even if you really want to, you will never forget. It will always haunt you,' he said. An artist to be Zalizko survived torture, suicide attempts and relentless beatings during roughly 15 months in Russian captivity. The first time his mother, Maria Zalizko, saw him after his release, she barely recognized him. He was thin and appeared 'broken', she said, with torment in his eyes. Zalizko's physical appearance is now almost completely different. His skin looks healthy, his muscles are taut and he has lots of energy. But still there is sadness in his eyes. Two things keep him moving forward and help clear his mind: music and exercise. 'Pauses and stillness bring anxiety,' says Zalizko. Like Tarnavskyi, he is receiving mandatory counseling at the Lisova Polyana mental health center. And like many former POWs, he still battles hypervigilance — listening for threats, scanning his surroundings. At night, sleep comes in fragments, and that was true even before a recent uptick in nightly drone attacks by the Russian army. For the families of POWs, the reintegration process is also a struggle. A psychologist advised Maria Zalizko to give her son space, to avoid calling him too often. But it is Denys who often calls her, sometimes singing over the phone — a skill she taught him as a child. 'I love music. Music unites,' he said, touching the tattoo of a treble clef behind his ear — inked after his return. Even in captivity, he sang quietly to himself, composing songs in his mind about love, home and war. Now he dreams of turning that passion into a career as an artist. 'I've become stronger now,' Zalizko said. 'I'm not afraid of death, not afraid of losing an arm or a leg, not afraid of dying instantly. I fear nothing anymore.'
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Thailand sets up safe spaces for pets whose owners fled border violence
SURIN, Thailand (AP) — As residents along Thailand's border with Cambodia fled the ongoing fighting, many tried to take their animals with them. For those who were unable to do so, livestock officials stepped in to help. Thailand's Livestock Department asked its local offices to provide safe space for animals whose owners have had to evacuate, and the offices in several border provinces announced they were ready to do so. In Surin province, several cages were placed under cover at the front of the local Livestock Breeding and Research Center as temporary kennels. Five dogs and two cats were staying at the center as of Sunday. The capacity is around 20 animals. Sornchai Kongsook, director of the livestock center, said owners can leave their pets for free, but they have to be able to visit every day to take care of the animals. 'We have opened our space for cats and dogs that the residents, or farmers, can't take into an evacuation center,' he said. 'There are also some owners who have chosen to stay at a hotel, which doesn't allow pets.' He said livestock are welcome at the center, although none has been left there so far. Officials have prepared food to be distributed to cows and buffaloes left behind in danger zones. Many northeastern Thais are farmers and usually own livestock. Several of them roam the fields in areas that are now largely deserted. The armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia since last week have killed dozens of people and displaced thousands. Wilawan Duangvao, an elementary school teacher, left her dogs, Khawtom and Khaitun, at the shelter Saturday after she received an order to evacuate her home in Prasat district. She was able to return to check on them the following day. As she approached the cage they were being kept in, they stood up barking, wagging their tails and jumping around excitedly. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. A tearful Wilawan picked up Khawtom, a 2-year-old mix of shih tzu and poodle. Khaitun, a younger mix of American bully and Thai street dog, stood on his hind legs inside the cage as Wilawan and her husband played with both dogs and comforted them. Wilawan said it was a difficult decision to leave her pets, but she couldn't stay at home and needed to find a safe place for them. 'At our home now, water and electricity have been cut. I don't feel comfortable leaving them at home. I'm afraid they'll go into shock,' she said. Wilawan said she is now taking care of evacuees staying at her school, which has been converted to a temporary shelter, which does not allow animals. She said she can't thank officials enough for offering a safe space for her pets. 'I'm so grateful. Everyone here is very welcoming. They took them in and I'm relieved. They didn't ask for anything in return,' she said.
Toronto Sun
12 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
At least 3 killed and others injured in train derailment in southern Germany
Published Jul 27, 2025 • 1 minute read Rescue workers search for passengers in a derailed train, Zwiefaltendorf, Sunday July 27, 2025. Photo by Thomas Warnack / dpa via AP BERLIN — A regional passenger train derailed in southern Germany, killing at least three people and seriously injuring others on Sunday, authorities said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Federal and local police said the cause of the crash near Riedlingen, roughly 158 kilometres west of Munich, remains under investigation. Photos from the scene showed parts of the train on its side as rescuers climbed atop the carriages. It was not immediately clear how many people were injured. Roughly 100 people were onboard the train when at least two carriages derailed in a forested area around 6:10 p.m. (1610 GMT). German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a post on social platform X, said he mourned the victims and gave his condolences to their families. Deutsche Bahn, Germany's main national railway operator, did not return The Associated Press' request for comment Sunday evening. Sports Columnists Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Toronto & GTA
