Ukrainian volunteer who said FSB blackmailed him returns home after trip to Russia
“With your support, you can return even from a place that seems impossible to return from,” Mykhailo Puryshev, who traveled to Moscow in August, wrote on Instagram.
Mykhailo Puryshev, a Ukrainian volunteer from Mariupol, has returned to Ukraine after a trip to Russia, where he claimed the FSB blackmailed him into providing information about Ukrainian military positions. Puryshev stated in an Instagram post on September 2 that he was now home, expressing gratitude for the support he received during his ordeal.
He acknowledged that he could not disclose all the details of his trip yet, but emphasized that he was alive and had completed all official procedures. Puryshev had flown to Moscow on August 17 following allegations from the FSB that he could be forced to draft his son, who lives in Russia, into the Russian military if he refused to cooperate.
After arriving at Sheremetyevo Airport, Puryshev posted a video saying he had arrived in Russia to protect his son, but remained silent for several days before finally confirming his return to Ukraine on September 2. Puryshev, who has four children - two from a previous relationship living in Russia and two in Ukraine - gained recognition for his volunteer efforts during the Mariupol siege in spring 2022, driving into the city to rescue civilians.
Written by urgent.news from Kyiv Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
