A presentation of the book "Jingle Bellz" was held in Los Angeles - a personal confession of former prisoner of war Oleksiy Anuli, who spent ten months in Russian captivity, including 130 days in solitary confinement.
This was said n Ukraine Culture Center.
Representatives of the Ukrainian community, American politicians and clergy gathered at the Center to hear the story of indomitability firsthand.
"Olexiy spent almost a year in Russian captivity - he was beaten and tortured, bringing him to the brink of death. But despite everything, he managed to escape. Now he is presenting his book, in which he frankly talks about his experiences - with the hope that those responsible will eventually be held accountable," the UCC said.
The author himself said that he worked on the book for three months, 18 hours a day - that's how long his torturers forced him to stand still every day. The Latvian government provided him with a house where he recreated conditions that were as close as possible to the realities of captivity in order to more deeply recreate those events.
"It helped me remember all the horrors that I saw and felt," shared Oleksiy.
The emotional effect of the book's story was enhanced by the photo exhibition "Where Was Home" by Ukrainian journalist Natalia Dudka, which captures destroyed housing in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, the presentation of which took place as part of the event.
""Jingle Bellz" is not just words on paper. It is blood, pain, courage and faith. For the United States, it is an alarm bell: to see the price of freedom, hear the voice of Ukraine and act," the charity organization "Go Ukraine" said.
It is worth noting that Oleksiy Anuliy’s visit to the United States, organized by GO Ukraine, also had a political dimension. He took part in the Reconstruction Ukraine summit in Washington, where he raised the issue of releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war. At this event, Anuliy met with evangelical pastor Mark Burns, spiritual advisor to Donald Trump, to whom he told about his experience of torture in captivity, in which thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians are still being held.
He also had a personal meeting with Republican Congressman Don Bacon.
“He came not as a victim, but as a voice of truth… His book is proof of why we must stand up to bullies like Putin,” Bacon shared his impressions of the meeting.
Special attention was paid to the story of Oleksiy and Megan Mobbs, the daughter of Keith Kellogg, the US President’s special representative in Ukraine. She expressed her willingness to join the work on prisoner exchanges.
Photo: Go Ukraine
Author: Inna Mikhno