Therefore, three of them were released, and the fourth, Mykhailo Kh., was left in custody but charged with an offense unrelated to sabotage. According to investigators, the man possessed documents to which he was not entitled.

The man and three other Ukrainians were detained on November 18, but a few days later, law enforcement officials reported that they had found no evidence of their connection to the saboteurs who damaged the Polish railway.

Prior to that, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office reported on the searches, but did not specify the reasons.

"The investigators are not facing any obstacles. They were given full access to the apartment, and my lawyers are on site, interacting with law enforcement officials. I am providing my full cooperation," he said.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would not comment on the details, but declared that it was aware of "the case of a Czech citizen who is considered missing in action."

Kotrla is believed to be the fifth Czech citizen to have died in the war in Ukraine.

Kotrla studied stone carving at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Uherské Hradiště. However, in 2019, while in his third year, he dropped out of school.

Kotrla's works, which he created during his studies, will be handed over to his mother.

Given that in May 2025, Belarusian judokas were allowed to compete under their national flag, the IJF "considers it now appropriate" to restore the same rights for Russians.