Ukrainian Activist and Writer Volodymyr Vakulenko Killed by Russians and Left Outside for a Month: Reports

Noted Ukrainian author and activist Volodymyr Vakulenko was allegedly killed by invading Russian forces and his body was left out in the cold for more than a month, according to local reports.

Vakulenko, who was also a popular children's writer, was killed during the Russian occupation of the Kharkiv region, the Kyiv Independent reported Tuesday. 

He was a recipient of the Oles Ulianenko International Literary Award and laureate of the Les Martovych Competition. He was reported missing, and was believed to have been abducted, in March, according to PEN America.

The Ukrainian Office of the Prosecutor General said in April in a Telegram post that its officials also believed he was kidnapped by invading Russian forces.

His body was recently identified by DNA testing after his remains were found among hundreds of dead victims left outside by Ukraine soldiers who liberated the area in September, local reports said.

The writer's parents had searched for their only son for more than six months.

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