29th of September at 3p.m. in Bezimenne, Novoazovsk district of Donetsk Oblast on the territory of “Birusa” pension outlander painted in DPR (Donetsk People’s Republic) colors appeared. There were two armed passengers in camouflage. They “invited” to drive along with them Vasilij Vasiljevich Kovalenko (12.12.1957 – date of birth), director of the pension, deputy of Novoazovsk district counsil, activist who was actively cared about internally displaced people. Vasilij Vasiljevich got to his car “VAZ2110” and drove accompanied by outlander in unknown direction.
From that moment destiny and whereabouts of V.V. Kovalenko is unknown. From the 1st of October according to words of Bezimenne citizens, there in Bezimenne was seen mentioned above car belonged to Kovalenko, without license plates but with inscriptions “DPR police” and people in camouflage inside. But none of DPR institution de-facto controlling the region approve his “detention” and “escorting”. Previously V.V. Kovalenko was “detained” by DPR, but each of that times he was released. Now everything is more serious.
All it known by the words of his daughter, that called to Donbass SOS with message father’s disappearance. By the way, Vasilij Vasiljevich has four children and six grandchildren. Kovalenko’s family in despair.
We should point that Vasilij Kovalenko – good known Donbass activist, man with firm civil and civil rights position, local fighter with corruption. Particularly he organized actions of protests to protect environment (preventing the construction of a zirconium mine in Volodars’kyi district), fought for interests of local community in question of lands in 2012 (general plan of Mariupol). He fought for rights of citizens that were close to be robbed – 62 of ground areas cost close to 1 billion dollars, were to be stolen from them.
We should note that from the 8th of July Vasilij Kovalenko accepted internaly displaced people from ATO area: Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, later – Horlovka and Donetsk… He accepted more than 1000 of people by now. There were time when pension gave shelter to 250 migrants simultaneously. It was not just a place for living, all residents of “Birusa” had everything needed – food, clothes. Important fact that Vasilij Vasiljevich was never paying attention on political views among the people living in pension, which was very polar. Only due to his sincere desire to help people and tries to lower contradictions in community he managed to keep peace among the people.
Also noticeable that in spite of disappearance of Vasilij Kovalenko his deeds are live – 38 of migrants whom he gave shelter still living in pension. So that not only his own family is waiting for Vasilij Vasiljevich return.
If You know something about whereabouts of Vasilij Kovalenko, please call to coordination center of Donbass SOS:
0 800 30 911 0
[email protected]