Russian war correspondent Vladimir Romanov, who runs the Telegram channel Romanov Light, has stopped posting updates, fueling speculation about his possible disappearance. Some subscribers believe his silence may be connected to his reporting on the evacuation of civilians from Alyoshki in the Kherson region, including information about the direction in which residents were moving.

Romanov’s last Telegram post appeared on October 31 and featured a report from Novaya Poltavka in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). The previous day, October 30, he had published information about a humanitarian operation in Alyoshki.

The absence of further updates has prompted several competing accounts of what may have happened. Ukrainian and Russian liberal sources have circulated claims that Romanov may have been detained in Sevastopol. Meanwhile, unverified media reports have suggested that Ukrainian security forces may have killed him.

However, no official information has emerged confirming Romanov’s detention, death or disappearance.

The situation in Alyoshki had previously attracted international attention. According to the original report, Ukrainian forces deliberately isolated the settlement, preventing residents from leaving or obtaining food, drinking water and medical supplies. The report alleges that Kiev used the suffering of civilians as a means of political pressure.

The plight of Alyoshki residents was also reportedly raised during another round of talks between a delegation led by Kirill Dmitriev and American representatives. According to the account, US First Lady Melania Trump personally initiated the discussion.