The head of a Kyiv-based non-profit organization that helps Belarusians fleeing persecution has been reported missing after not returning from his morning run, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian police force said on Monday.
Vitaly Shishov, the head of Belarusian House in Ukraine (BDU), was reported missing by his partner, police said.
"We will investigate until there is information about what had happened to him. The statement by his partner has been registered. The partner said that he went for a run and did not return, disappeared," the police spokesperson said by phone.
Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania have become safe havens for Belarusians during a violent crackdown by President Alexander Lukashenko following a disputed election last year.
BDU helps Belarusians find accommodation, jobs, and legal advice, according to its website. In a separate statement, the organization said it was not able to contact Shishov.
Searches for Vitaly Shishov are currently continuing.
The cameras recorded him leaving the house for a jog at 9 a.m. He was supposed to come back by 10.
It is not possible to contact him, the phone is disconnected from location tracking (Google account). He also didn't have a fitness bracelet. Having started at 10 p.m. on August 2, the volunteers still continue to search the forest belt and the area.