Freed 22-year-old Ukrainian POW Yurii Hulchuk, who lost his speech due to torture, speaks again (PHOTO)

Ukrainian Marine Yurii Hulchuk, who was recently released during the latest prisoner of war exchange, has started speaking again after losing his speech due to torture about a year ago. Radio Liberty reported this on September 26.

"Due to torture in russian captivity, 22-year-old Marine Yurii Hulchuk lost his speech and the ability to experience emotions. He recently returned to Ukraine. Now, Yurii has started talking again", - writes Radio Liberty.

"A bit of a lisp, but as you can see, I'm talking. Feeling okay. Even stood up a little today. In the near future, I plan, maybe, to go out for a smoke if I can", - the soldier says.

According to Yurii's mother, the first things he started saying were: "Why are people so cruel to each other? Why is there so much pain? Why is there so much deceit?"

Previously, it was reported that 22-year-old defender of Mariupol, Yurii Hulchuk, who returned from russian captivity, was unable to speak or express emotions after being tortured by the so-called "doctor of evil" in russia. He stopped speaking while in russian captivity, where he spent more than two years. After his release, Yurii showed no emotions and did not utter a word, even when he saw his mother. He is currently undergoing treatment in a hospital and is still struggling to stand on his own.