Volodymyr Balukh / Photo from UNIAN

Co-chairman of the European Solidarity parliamentary faction, Member of Parliament Iryna Gerashchenko says former Russian political prisoner Volodymyr Balukh has regained consciousness after a recent assault in Kyiv.

"Finally, good news from V. Balukh's doctors: the patient is conscious, performing elementary instructions, trying to say something, but is still very weak," she wrote on Facebook on October 5.

"It's a pity that Volodymyr is in hospital now, and not in the election campaign – he was supposed to be our frontman for Kyiv Regional Council," Gerashchenko added.

Read alsoPolice classify assault on Balukh as robberyAssault on Balukh: Background

  • Former Russian political prisoner Oleh Sentsov said Volodymyr Balukh had been assaulted in Kyiv overnight Tuesday, September 8. Meanwhile, September 7 marked a year since his successful return to Ukraine after he had been released from a Russian prison.
  • Sentsov said Balukh was found in the morning, with his arm and collarbone fractured.
  • Balukh underwent surgery, having suffered a severe head injury. He has since remained in serious but stable condition.
  • On September 11, Balukh was put in a medically induced coma.
  • On September 18, police detained a suspect in the assault on Balukh.
  • On September 19, the court ruled to arrest the suspect for two months without the possibility of posting bail.

Who is Volodymyr Balukh

  • Balukh is a Crimean farmer, who was detained by Russia's FSB Federal Security Service on December 8, 2016.
  • FSB operatives claimed they had allegedly found 90 ammunition rounds and several TNT explosives in his attic.
  • It is widely believed though that security operatives had detained the man for his firm political stance: he had a Ukrainian flag flying over his house, which he refused to remove despite persistent demands of local authorities, KHPG watchdog reported.
  • On July 5, 2018, a Russian-controlled court in Crimea sentenced him to five years in a penal colony and a RUB 10,000 fine.
  • On October 3, 2018, the so-called "Supreme Court of Crimea" reviewed Balukh's original verdict and reduced his term to four years and 11 months.
  • On September 7, 2019, he was handed over to Ukraine as part of a major prisoner swap effort.