A photograph appears on the Internet
A Ukrainian helicopter captain, one of the UN staff members in Somalia, has appeared in a video released by the militant group Al-Shabab, asking the Ukrainian president and the UN Secretary-General to urgently begin negotiations for his release.
The pilot, Olejnik Aleksandr, said he was the captain of a helicopter contracted with the UN that was forced to make an emergency landing in January 2024 after it encountered an emergency and landed in territory controlled by the militant group Al-Shabab.
The video, released by Al-Shabab’s media wing Kataib, shows Aleksandr speaking directly to the camera, pleading for immediate help.
Aleksandr said he was not a free man, but a prisoner of war held by Al-Shabab. He added that he and his crew were carrying out medical evacuation flights to support Somali government forces in their massive counter-Al-Shabab operation, which lasted from mid-2022 to early 2024.
“In January 2024, while we were in the central regions of Somalia, we encountered an emergency situation that forced us to land in Al-Shabab-controlled territory,” Aleksandr said.
In the video, he specifically appealed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asking him to use diplomatic and political pressure to secure his release. He also called on the Ukrainian people to raise his case so that it would not be forgotten.
“Please use your influence to start negotiations for our release,” he said.
Aleksandr also appealed to the United Nations, stressing that he was on official duty under the organization at the time of his arrest.
“I am addressing the United Nations, as we are carrying out our mission under its flag and in its name. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, sent us here. Today, we need protection and urgent assistance,” he said.
He added that the United Nations has a responsibility to protect its contractors who are kidnapped during peacekeeping operations.
In an emotional message to the Secretary-General, he said: “I beg you not to turn a blind eye to our plight.”
So far, neither the United Nations nor the Ukrainian government have officially commented on the released footage or on the possibility of negotiations regarding the detainees.
The Al-Shabaab group, which has been at war with the Somali government for more than 15 years, has previously used videos showing people it holds captive to put pressure on governments and international organizations.