One of the harshest verdicts ever handed down against a Ukrainian civilian family

In June 2025, the Southern District Military Court handed down one of the harshest verdicts ever delivered against a Ukrainian civilian family.

Artem Murdid was sentenced to life in prison. His mother, Hanna Murdid, was sentenced to 22 years, and his partner, Hanna Voshkoder, to 20 years.

Before the full-scale war, the family lived an ordinary life in Melitopol. Artem worked as a cash-in-transit security guard and was known by friends as sociable, responsible and strongly pro-Ukrainian.

In spring 2023, Artem disappeared. The next day, Russian security forces detained his mother and his partner.

For a long time, friends and relatives did not know what had happened to the family. Together with human rights defenders, they gradually pieced together the case.

Russia accused all three of creating a “terrorist cell” allegedly working in Ukraine’s interests. In court, all three said they had been tortured and forced to confess.

Hanna Murdid was severely beaten in detention, aggravating a previous arm injury. Hanna Voshkoder was threatened that her daughter Diana would be taken away, placed with another family and given a different last name.

After the verdict, Artem was able to send just one letter. He thanked people for searching for the family and for their support, saying that the letters helped him hold on.

Three years after their detention, Artem has spent more than two years without access to fresh air. Hanna Murdid has almost completely lost the use of her arm, while Hanna Voshkoder has not seen her daughter in more than three years.

The story of the Murdid family is one of the stories of Ukrainian civilian captives that we share as part of the Shadows Behind Bars project.

Read more stories of Ukrainian civilian captives on the project website: Shadows Behind Bars