Ukraine releases former commander of minesweeper “Henichesk” from captivity

During the new exchange, Oleksandr Boychuk, the former commander of the minesweeper “Henichesk”, which was destroyed by the invaders, returned home from Russian captivity.

This was reported by journalist Bohdan Kutepov.  

According to him, the defender of Mariupol Oleksandr Boychuk disappeared at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. The first year the fighter was not on the lists of the living at all, but today, August 14, he was released from captivity.

“Olexandr Vyacheslavovich Boychuk – the legendary commander of the only Ukrainian minesweeper (now bombed), who hijacked a ship during the annexation of Crimea in 2014, is returning home,” the journalist shared.

As Hromadske reported, in 2014, at the time of the beginning of the occupation of Crimea by the Russians, the “Henichesk” was based on Lake Donuzlav. Oleksandr Boychuk, at that time the senior midshipman of the minesweeper, brought his ship into combat readiness. The “Henichesk” did not let the occupiers on board and made two attempts to break through from Donuzlav – on March 18 and 20.

The second attempt was almost successful – the invaders overslept the “Henichesk” departure. However, they were able to catch up, Russian special forces landed on board the minesweeper and captured the ship, and Boychuk was beaten.

In May 2014, the invaders handed the ship over to Ukraine. From that moment until its destruction in 2022, it remained the only minesweeper in the Ukrainian Navy – the Russians did not return the rest of the ships of this type captured in Crimea.

As a reminder, the destruction of the “Henichesk” became known in August 2022. The minesweeper was sunk by the occupiers – it was hit by cruise missiles launched from occupied Crimea.