Monday December 15, 2025 {HMC} Somali militant group Al-Shabaab has released a new video showing Oleynik Aleksandr, a Ukrainian national and helicopter pilot who has been held by the group since early 2024.
Aleksandr was the captain of a United Nations–contracted helicopter that made an emergency landing in territory controlled by the militants while en route to Wisil, near Ceelbuur, in central Somalia.
advertisements
The helicopter, operated in support of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), was reportedly forced to land in January 2024 due to technical difficulties. Since then, the pilot and other crew members have remained in Al-Shabaab custody. UNSOS provides logistical and aviation support to the African Union mission, the Federal Government of Somalia and UN offices across the country.
In the newly released footage, Aleksandr appeals directly to the Ukrainian government and the United Nations, urging them to begin negotiations to secure his release and that of the remaining crew.
“Please use your influence to start negotiations for our release,” he said.
He recounted the circumstances of the incident, saying: “In January 2024, while we were in the central regions of Somalia, we were faced with an emergency situation that forced us to land in territory controlled by Al-Shabaab.”
Aleksandr also appealed to the United Nations, emphasizing that he was on official duty at the time of his capture.
“I am speaking to the United Nations, as we have been carrying out our mission under its flag and in its name. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, sent us here. Today, we need protection and urgent assistance,” he said.
He added that the UN has a responsibility to protect contractors who are kidnapped while carrying out peacekeeping operations. In an emotional message to the UN Secretary-General, he said: “I beg you not to turn a blind eye to our plight.”
So far, neither the United Nations nor the Ukrainian government has commented publicly on the footage or on the possibility of negotiations regarding the detainees.
Al-Shabaab has previously captured military and civilian aircraft that have made forced landings or crashed in areas under its control, often using such incidents for propaganda and leverage.
