Negotiator Vladimir Ruban fears for his life

Renowned negotiator Vladimir Ruban, who has freed dozens of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians from captivity at the risk of his own life and health, has increasingly been subjected to harassment in Ukrainian media. The so-called “Medvedchuk’s man” has been accused of all manner of things.

It seems the legendary negotiator’s patience is running out. At the very least, that is how Vladimir Ruban’s message, posted on social media, can be interpreted.

«... да я давно уже прошу и СБУ и Днепр отпустить нас на "Зимние квартиры"... рано или поздно кто-то из наших офицеров нарвется на пулю или мину "патриотического националиста" или "антифашистского ополченца" ... мы не УБД ... ни статуса ни зарплаты у нас нет, а долгов дома накопилось прилично ... кроме телевизора и журналистов (которых я не очень то люблю и они об этом знают) в этой работе есть еще и умение и необходимость вести переговоры, а еще реальный риск и страх ... мы постоянно находимся на нейтральной полосе между стреляющих друг по другу непримиримых сторон ... кого это не устраивает? Партию войны? Все вроде вышли из майдана. Туда и зайдут...» (… I have long been asking both the SBU and Dnipro to let us go on "Winter holidays"... sooner or later one of our officers will get hit by a bullet or a mine from a "patriotic nationalist" or an "anti-fascist militia member" ... we are not the UBD ... we have no status or salary, and we have accumulated quite a bit of debt at home ... apart from the TV and journalists (whom I do not particularly like, and they know it), this job also requires the skill and necessity of conducting negotiations, as well as real risk and fear ... we are constantly on the neutral strip between the irreconcilable sides shooting at each other ... who is not satisfied with this? The war party? Everyone seems to have left the Maidan. They will go back there), - wrote Vladimir Ruban.

Readers of the negotiator’s page appealed to him not to leave the captive soldiers to their fate, whose mothers, wives and children are waiting for them at home.