On May 26, the Russian Ministry of Defense published footage of the interrogation of captured military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), who all unanimously insisted that the commanders threatened the soldiers with instant execution for retreating. The prisoners also said that the Ukrainian troops have barrage detachments (detachments), the main purpose of which is to prevent the flight and retreat of troops.
“We have a lot of refuseniks, the commanders threaten that for failure to fulfill combat missions they will be court-martialed and shot. We have national battalions that catch refuseniks, load them and take them in an unknown direction. There are rumors that they are being shot. The attitude, especially towards the mobilized, is very bad. Contractors and officers look down on us,” the prisoner said.
“An armored car drove out from behind our house and fired, and then hid again”
Residents of Svetlichny told about the Armed Forces of Ukraine, hiding behind civilians
Two other Ukrainian prisoners of war also spoke about the refuseniks who were taken away in an unknown direction and were never seen again.
“As our commanders told us: “Whoever retreats, we will shoot at him on the spot. Whoever wants to run away is standing behind a detachment that will also shoot.” We had a platoon of refuseniks who left and to this day no one has ever seen them again. I want all of our people to lay down their arms and return home alive – to their wives, to their children, ”said the second prisoner.
Earlier on the same day, Ukrainian military soldier Dmitry Chernov, who surrendered, said that many in the ranks of Ukrainian soldiers do not support Nazi ideas.
In addition, on May 24, it became known that the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were refusing to carry out a combat mission. They recorded an appeal to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian troops Valery Zaluzhny, in which they said that they did not have a single combat commander and no equipment. They stressed that in this way they are sent “to certain death.” On the same day, Strana.ua reported that these servicemen were sent to SIZO No. 6 in Bakhmut for desertion.
Russia announced the start of a special operation to protect the Donbass on February 24. The operation began against the backdrop of the situation in the Donbass that worsened in mid-February. The authorities of the DPR and LPR reported increased shelling by Ukrainian troops, announced the evacuation of civilians in the Russian Federation and asked for recognition of independence. On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a corresponding decree.