THE ONE THAT ALMOST GOT AWAY | Vjekoslav Prebeg, Mariupol Defender tells his epic escape & evasion story.

🎙️ Voices from the Front — Prebeg is a Croatian veteran and Ukrainian Marine who became one of the most high-profile foreign POWs in Russia’s war against Ukraine. A former soldier in the Croatian Army, Prebeg joined Ukraine’s 36th Marine Brigade in 2020, serving in Mariupol when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. During the brutal siege of Mariupol, Prebeg and his comrades endured weeks of relentless bombardment, dwindling supplies, and encirclement by Russian forces. In April 2022, as the city’s defenses collapsed, he was among a group of Ukrainian Marines who attempted a daring breakout from the encirclement. The plan was high-risk. Traverse 260 km of Russian-held territory to link up with friendly forces. Moving mostly at night, they navigated minefields, evaded patrols, and relied on whatever food and water they could scavenge. After days on the run, their luck ran out — Prebeg was captured near the village of Staromlynivka. What followed was a grim descent into the machinery of Russia’s proxy “justice” in occupied Donetsk. Transferred to the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic” (DPR), Prebeg was paraded on Russian state media as a “mercenary,” despite serving in Ukraine’s regular armed forces, a clear violation of the Geneva Conventions. In September 2022, he faced a sham trial alongside other foreign fighters, including Britons Aiden Aslin and myself, where he was falsely accused of terrorism and plotting violent acts. The DPR court placed him on trial but it was halted, later sentencing him in absentia and in Russia after his exchange, a verdict designed for propaganda and to pressure Ukraine’s allies. Behind the scenes, Prebeg was subjected to torture and inhumane treatment, beatings, mock executions, starvation, and psychological abuse intended to break his will and force false confessions. His captors deprived him of medical care and kept him in solitary confinement for long stretches, breaking his nose, all while Russia used his case as a bargaining chip in political negotiations. He remained in captivity under harsh conditions until late September 2022, when he was released as part of a high-profile prisoner exchange brokered by the Prince of Saudi Arabia, Ukrainian Government & Roman Abramovich, the former Chelsea Football Club owner. Prebeg’s story is one of endurance against impossible odds: a soldier who risked everything in Mariupol, survived a desperate escape attempt, endured the brutality of Russian captivity, and lived to tell the world about the reality of this war. His testimony sheds light on Russia’s war crimes, the fate of Ukrainian POWs, and the resilience of those who refuse to give in to tyranny. In this podcast, Vjekoslav opens up about his time in Mariupol, his 260 km escape attempt, the sham trial, and the torture he endured — and why, despite it all, he still believes in Ukraine’s fight for freedom. My Book: Live. Fight. Survive: https://shaunpinner.com/bookPrebeg Trial: https://www.rferl.org/a/five-foreign-nationals-tried-absentia-russia-ukraine-/32426240.html Podcast (in Croatian) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shaunpinner.substack.com/subscribe