‘Mom, don’t cry, I’m home:’ Ukrainian refugee family learns that son is alive after almost three years of captivity in Russia

The 25-year-old soldier was captured by Russian forces in May 2022 ‘while defending civilians in Mariupol’ said family

A Ukrainian refugee family have received the heartwarming news that their son is alive – nearly three years after he was captured by Russian forces while battling the invading forces in his homeland.

Valeriia and Roman Biletskiy fled to Washington state at the start of the brutal war in February 2022 along with seven of their children. Their other child, Roman Jr., instead remained, and enlisted to defend Ukraine. However, three months later, he was captured by Russian forces and later, presumed dead.

But on Monday 30 December, the couple saw a picture shared by Ukraine’s media that showed their son Roman Biletskiy Jr., 25, alive, and sitting at the back of a bus with a group of men who had just been freed from a Russian prison.

His release came as Russia and Ukraine conducted a major prisoner exchange that day with each side freeing at least 150 prisoners of war – a swap aided by The United Arab Emirates, according to Russia’s Defence Ministry.

Biletskiy Jr. called his family immediately after his release and told his parents: “Mom, don’t cry. Mom, I’m at home.”

“[We are] very happy," shared his father Roman Sr. to Seattle news station KING5.

Roman Biletskiy Jr., 25, (pictured left) was freed in a major prisoner swap on December 30 – his mum Valeriia Biletskiy (pictured right) is elated at her son’s return (Facebook)

According to a fundraiser, organized by the father, the Biletskiy family were forced to abandon their home in the southern Kherson region of Ukraine after Russian military tanks entered their rural town, moved into their neighbor’s homes, and committed several atrocities.

They allege that this included the alleged sexual assault and murder of Valeria’s sister-in-law and torture of her 3-year-old son.

Valeriia told Cascade PBS that her sister-in-law was brutally killed because her husband was a police officer and her son was choked and suffered burns to his forehead from lit cigarettes by Russian soldiers.

Roman Biletskiy Jr., 25, (pictured right) was assumed dead after his family was mistakenly notified by letter of his death. But two months later, the Red Cross informed them he was alive (Facebook)

Such tragedy prompted their son Roman – who was 22 at the time – to enlist in the Ukrainian military and “defend Ukraine…right away” as per the fundraiser page. Meanwhile, his parents and siblings fled to the U.S. to settle in Orting, Pierce County, shared Cascade PBS.

However, things took a frightening turn during his deployment, and in May 2022, Roman Jr., was taken into Russian captivity “while defending civilians in Mariupol” stated the fundraiser.

In an even more shocking twist, the Biletskiy family was mistakenly informed on May 17 that Roman Jr. had perished after receiving an official letter and award from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Valeriia went through excruciating pain and grief to learn two months later her son [was being held as] a prisoner of war and [was] alive”, stated the fundraiser.

Roman Jr., was released in a major prison swap between Russia and Ukraine – an exchange that was partly orchestrated by the UAE (Telegram / @Volodymyr Zelensky/A)

The Red Cross reportedly reached out to the family to inform them that Roman was alive, reported Cascade PBS.

This was further confirmed by a video of their son inside a Russian prison in February 2023.

She told Cascade PBS in September 2024: “It’s a dream to get my son out of captivity and to go back to Ukraine to meet him there in our homeland.” But Valeriia is uncertain of her family’s future and if they will ever be able to return home.

Valeriia has been running an art shop in Orting since settling there and the family have urged anyone able to support them with rehabilitating their son to donate “no matter how big or small”.

The Independent contacted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office and the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights for comment.