Ukraine: Outrage sparks after brutal battery and attempted rape against TV presenter Anastaisha Lygova

August 10, 2020, Kyiv, Ukraine -- The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns the rape attempt and physical assault against TV presenter Anastaisha Lygova who works for Ukrainian TV channel Inter. Anastaisha suffered severe injuries as a result of attempted rape while she was traveling on a train to Kyiv with her six-year-old son.

Anastaisha was in a private compartment of the train from Mariupol to Kyiv at 3 am when she woke up to the sound of a stranger in nothing but underwear bursting into their compartment. The stranger blocked the door and started hitting Anastaisha, grabbed her by the throat, and tried to choke her while pushing her against the bed. The journalist’s screams woke her sleeping son off who begged the man to stop hurting her mom.

The aggressor then hit Anastaisha’s son while caressing and kissing her lips with an erection. Telling her that “if she acts like a good girl he won’t hurt her”. In order to protect her son from getting hit, Anastaisha told the attacker that she would do anything he asks of her but she didn’t want her son to see so they should go to his compartment instead.

In a Facebook post, Anastaisha recalled the heinous attack with the following sentences:  “He agreed, wrapped himself in the sheets, took me to his compartment and locked the door behind us. On the table of his compartment, there was a cut melon with a sharp knife, so I knew shouting wouldn’t do much. I was afraid if he was able to beat an unfamiliar woman and no one came to her screams, he could as well use the knife and no one would come for help either. 

Right then my son started screaming and crying and I pleaded with the man that I would need to go see my son soon to calm him down so he doesn’t wake everyone up, to which he allowed but said it would be worse if I tried to escape. I waited until he took off his underwear and ran towards our compartment, grabbed my son and we ran to another wagon where I started screaming and knocking on every door. The aggressor, naked was running after us but the worst part is that no one reacted or answered their doors.

I then managed to run to the conductor’s compartment and asked him to keep us safe until we reached Kyiv.”

The man was arrested by the police upon arrival to Kyiv at 7 am. The perpetrator has now been identified as Vitaliy Rudzko (45). He is a former convict charged for rape and battery on three different occasions. The prosecutor’s office last Monday announced that he is being charged with attempted rape and physical battery. The investigation that can land the attacker in jail for eight years is ongoing. According to her friends, Anastashia wants a fair punishment for the attacker, so he can not hurt any other woman and she wants to give the case maximum publicity.

Anastashia also claims that the chief of the train and the conductor of her car, in which the attack took place, persuaded the woman not to contact the police so that they would not have any problems, and even promised money for it.

Ukrzaliznytsia did not confirm or deny this information, saying that the train crew "provided all the necessary evidence."

"Ukrzaliznytsia sincerely apologizes to the injured passenger and once again emphasizes the urgent need to renew the support of long-distance trains during the movement of the National Police for the complete safety of passengers," the agency added to BBC News Ukraine.

In 2013, Ukrzaliznytsia refused to escort trains by law enforcement officers.

Ukrainians actively use railway transport across the country, and quarrels and harassments are not uncommon after the decision of pulling police force from trains. Citizens around the country started a petition campaign following the horrible ordeal that Anastaisha and her son went through. 

The traumatic attack caused Anastaisha both physical injury (a broken jaw, multiple swellings all around her face and head, severely blackened eyes) and psychological trauma. Anastaisha reports of having panic attacks and night terrors on the regular now while her son receives therapy. 

In an update in her hospital bed “Zakharchik goes to a psychologist. He suffered a great psychological trauma. He is afraid to be alone. He says that horror stories on TV are not scary, but her mothers’ are scary.

He is still afraid of me too. I call him, but no video. Children perceive everything visually and he cannot get used to the fact that his mother looks like this.

We need to work to ensure that he does not blame himself. He says: it's my fault that I didn't save you, that I didn't wake up earlier.” posted Anastaisha on her son. 

Anastaisha is now worried that justice may let the incident go in impunity, the man had been released on the same charges before due to psychiatric reasons.

“He thought through every detail! He deliberately moved things from his compartment to ours when my son and I were hiding in the conductor’s compartment. He rummaged through my things, took money and stuff, he took my passport and started telling the train chief and conductors that he knew me. He studied all my data and confidently told me who I was, what my name was, what year I was born, where I was registered ... and everyone believed in it! I was told to go and talk to him and reconcile with him! Imagine! A mentally ill person will not do that! A mentally ill person will not count a few steps ahead!

So I want him to get it in full! Instead of just staying at a mental institution for a couple of years. 

If he is released - he will take up to his crimes again and the victim can be any other girl or even yourself! I don't want him to have that opportunity!”

It is a terrible ordeal that TV presenter Anastashia Lygova had to endure and we call upon authorities to take the matter seriously and conduct a thorough and fair investigation towards this multiple times offender.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism also asks the Ukrainian judiciary to make necessary legislative changes in order to ensure the passenger safety in railroads as well as providing necessary training to the railroad staff on how to deal with violence and sexual attacks. We condemn that the conductor in chief even thought about reconciliation in the face of such a heinous act.