In Volyn, police have initiated a manhunt after a prisoner escaped from a mine.

A 30-year-old inmate, Ivan K., who was convicted of murder and theft, escaped from the "Buzhanska" mine in Novovolynsk. Mykhailo Volynets, the head of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, reported that police in Volyn have launched a capture plan. According to Volynets, the convict is approximately 170 cm tall, has an average build, light brown hair, and gray eyes.

“Personally, and as leaders of the Independent Trade Union of Miners of Ukraine, we have opposed the initiatives of certain high-ranking officials in the energy sector and shadow curators in the industry from the very beginning, aiming to maximize the involvement of inmates from the Drohobych Correctional Colony No. 40 in mining operations during the mobilization of miners,” Volynets wrote.

The mayor of Novovolynsk, Borys Karpus, confirmed the information and stated that the convict is headed towards the Zaporizhia region.

Mykhailo Volynets noted that at the "Nadiya" mine in the town of Sosnivka, Lviv region, inmates have been working "experimentally" since October 2023. The mine administration engaged prisoners due to a shortage of miners who were mobilized for military service. In November 2023, another inmate escaped from the "Nadiya" mine, prompting the police to announce a capture plan. Residents of Sosnivka expressed outrage that convicts were working instead of miners.

“Regarding the safety of such work, I find it unnecessary to comment. For instance, the 'Nadiya' mine is classified as extremely hazardous due to methane. Anyone familiar with mining technologies understands that allowing untrained individuals into the mine creates a life-threatening situation for all participants in the process,” emphasized Volynets.

The union leader has reached out to the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Justice regarding violations at the mines due to forced labor. He noted that European human rights trade union organizations and occupational safety specialists were shocked to learn that inmates were working instead of miners.

“People prone to violations of norms and rules are allowed to work in conditions of increased danger, with explosives and complex equipment, violating numerous existing regulations. According to the law, convicts should undergo training in the mining rescue service and pass exams,” Volynets reported.

Mykhailo Volynets added that no one had approached the mining rescue service with a request to train the inmates. Instead, according to the union leader, inmates were allegedly receiving remote training at the closed "Kotliarevskyi" mine in Novohrodivka, Donetsk region.