Serhii Tsypiha

Serhii Tsypiha is an activist, Euromaidan participant, journalist, writer, and head of the “Kakhovka bridgehead” NGO, co-founder of the music festival “Tavrian Games”.

Since March 12, 2022, he has been held in captivity by the russian military on charges, pressed by the occupied forces, of “espionage and harming the russian federation during a special military operation” (Article 276 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).

Serhii Tsypiha was born on August 10, 1961 in Kharkiv. He received a higher education in the humanities. 

In Nova Kakhovka he worked as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Nova Kakhovka” and was elected four times as a deputy of the local council.

He is the author of the following books: “Maidanopis”, “Chronicles of Troubled Times”, “White Snake or the City without a Head”, “Ukraine: Rush Hour or Four Knockdowns of Viktor Yanukovych”, “The Notebook of an Intellectual Anarchist”, and “Women’s Troubles”.

In 2006, he became the founder and head of the “Kakhovka bridgehead” NGO, which organizes cultural events and promotes Ukrainian culture abroad.

Since July 2016, he has served in the military. In April 2017, he was discharged due to health reasons.

On February 24, 2022, he created the project “Information Self-Defence of Nova Kakhovka” through which he broadcasted a pro-Ukrainian position for the residents of the region and information about the occupational forces. On March 6, 2022, in the occupied Nova Kakhovka, he took part in the rally “Nova Kakhovka – Ukraine!”.

On March 12, 2022, between Nova Kakhovka and Tavriysk, Serhii Tsyhipa was detained by the russian military. This happened after the occupiers checked Serhii’s phone for pro-Ukrainian publications, photos, and messages to representatives of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

In response to an information request from Serhii’s lawyer, the FSB stated that they were “checking information about actions aimed at harming the security of the russian federation during a special military operation.”

He is married, and has two children and three grandchildren.

Place of detention: detention centre №2 in the city of Simferopol, Crimea.