Russian soldiers accuse leadership of abandoning them amid border clash in Kursk region
Russian conscripts were reportedly terrified by Russian media propagandists who warned them about imprisonment by Ukrainians. One soldier, who sustained a severe injury, regained consciousness in captivity and now expresses gratitude to Ukrainian forces who saved his life, Ukrainian journalist reveals.
The Russian-Ukrainian border in the Kursk region was defended by conscripts and a small number of contract soldiers. Upon encountering Ukrainian forces, both the commanders and their troops fled quickly. An inside account from captured Russian soldiers was shared by journalist Dmytro Klyuchko from the UNIAN news agency during a live broadcast on Kyiv TV.
Klyuchko spoke with Russian prisoners of war captured in the Kursk region. He noted that they were psychologically unprepared for the situation they found themselves in. One soldier, referred to as "Fedor," had been frightened by propaganda about the consequences of being captured by Ukrainian forces. Now, Fedor thanks the Ukrainians who rescued him despite his severe injuries. The conscripts reported having only a month of preparation before being tasked with defending the border, without higher-ranking officers; the highest-ranking officer on the scene was a captain, who fled with them upon seeing Ukrainian troops. Similar complaints echoed from contract soldiers, who felt let down by the higher command.
"They were inexperienced. Just a month ago, it had never crossed their minds that they could end up as Ukrainian POWs. Contract soldiers defending the Kursk region believe that military leadership failed them," it was reported on the broadcast.
The journalist also highlighted that the current contingent of prisoners differs from those he had previously interviewed. Earlier captives included mercenaries like "Storm Z" and contract soldiers. However, in Kursk, most of the detainees are conscripts who did not anticipate being involved in real combat and were thus "shocked" by the events.
The breakthrough in the Kursk region began on August 6. In the initial days, Ukrainian forces captured over a thousand Russian soldiers. Footage from the scene shows lines of Russian soldiers surrendering, raising their hands, and kneeling. Preliminary estimates suggest that many of them are conscript soldiers dispatched by Russian authorities to defend the region. Additionally, a group of captured soldiers included penal colony workers sent to fight against Ukrainians as well as "Kadyrovtsy," identified by their luxury apparel.
On August 14, Ukraine’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, announced that his Russian counterpart, Tatyana Moskalkova, had reached out regarding a prisoner exchange. On August 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the establishment of a military commandant’s office in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Kursk region.