Heroic Ukrainian ship commander returns from captivity
Oleksandr Boychuk commanded the minesweeper Henichesk, which was destroyed by an enemy rocket strike in the summer of 2022.
Commander of the legendary minesweeper Henichesk Oleksandr Boychuk
Today, August 14, 84 Ukrainians returned from Russian captivity, including the legendary commander of Ukraine’s only minesweeper Henichesk, Oleksandr Boychuk. For a long time, nothing was known about his fate.
This was reported by military correspondent Andriy Tsaplienko on his Telegram channel.
«Oleksandr Boychuk commanded the destroyed minesweeper Henichesk. During the capture of Crimea, Boychuk, a senior warrant officer of the minesweeper Henichesk, brought the ship to combat readiness. On March 18, they attempted a breakthrough from Donuzlav, but the Russians blocked their path. They tried again later, but Russian special forces stormed the ship. Eight of Boychuk’s 11 sailors did not betray their oath, ” Tsaplienko said.
Soon after, Russian occupiers handed Henichesk over to the Ukrainian side, and Boychuk became its commander again. But in June 2022, the ship was sunk by a rocket strike.
The return of the Henichesk’s commander from captivity was also reported by his friend, journalist and serviceman Bohdan Kutepov. He recalled that Boychuk took part in the defense of Mariupol and went missing in 2022.
«For the first year, he wasn’t even on the lists of the living, but his wife believed and waited. Finally, today he was freed from terrorist captivity! His wife and sons, also military personnel… This is incredible joy! Believe, all those who have lost hope! Miracles happen!» Kutepov wrote on the social network Facebook.