British author J.K. Rowling sent a letter and a personally signed book to Ukrainian marine Oleksandr Ivanov, who spent 1,494 days in Russian captivity. Whilst in captivity, the soldier recounted all seven Harry Potter books from memory to the other prisoners to keep their spirits up during the hardest of times.
Briefly about the main points
- J.K. Rowling sent Alexander Ivanov a letter and a signed book.
- The marine spent 1,494 days in Russian captivity.
- Whilst in captivity, he retold all seven Harry Potter books to his comrades.
- Alexander Ivanov returned to Ukraine in May 2026.
- The gift from the author was delivered on 31 July via Ukraine WOW.
A letter and a book with a personal dedication
To. Joan RolinThe non-profit organisation Ukraine WOW reached out to the author to tell her what a difference her books had made to Alexandra Ivanova and his comrades. The author replied with a personal letter and sent a signed copy of the book.
«I’ve heard that you’re a big fan of Harry and that these stories brought you comfort whilst you were held captive in Russia. I’m absolutely delighted to hear that you’ve been released and have returned home to Ukraine. I wish you a long and happy life,» wrote J.K. Rowling.
31 July, co-founder of Ukraine WOW Yaroslava Hres presented the gift to Alexander Ivanov. This date coincides with the birthday of both the author and Harry Potter — the character from her books.
The story of his captivity and return
Ivanov was defending Mariupol and was taken prisoner after losing contact in April 2022, as his wife Nelly had previously told TSN. She had written to Rowling even before her husband’s release, hoping that the author would learn about his story.
In May 2026, the marine returned home. The Ministry of Defence reported that on 15 May, as part of the first phase of the «1,000 for 1,000» exchange,» 205 Ukrainian defenders have been released from captivity; most of them were taken prisoner during the defence of Mariupol. Since his release, Ivanov has been undergoing rehabilitation, according to Ukrainian media reports.
Support amongst prisoners
Sharing books became a way for Ivanov and the other prisoners to stick together whilst in isolation. This is not merely an episode from popular culture: during their long years of captivity, shared stories could create a space for mutual psychological support.
In its June report, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine noted that almost all Ukrainian prisoners of war interviewed following their repatriation reported that torture or ill-treatment in Russia. The UN has emphasised the obligation to treat all prisoners of war humanely, in accordance with international humanitarian law.
