Russian commanders flee as captured soldiers reveal Kremlin lies
During one of the attacks in the Kursk region, the Russians suffered significant losses, and soldiers captured those who survived from the 80th Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Now, Russian prisoners of war are recounting that their command fled as soon as the fighting began. They also revealed the kind of propaganda the Kremlin feeds them.
In the released videos, we see accounts from Russian soldiers—former prisoners who signed a contract and ended up in the 11th Air Assault Brigade of the Russian army.
"They were tasked with capturing a town controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where Russian civilians are also present," comments the video from the 80th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Commanders fled. They were made to believe they were fighting NATO
They were sent into battle "like cannon fodder," and the command "turned away and drove off in the opposite direction."
In the video, Russian prisoners of war claim they were forced into the war.
- They simply don't give you a choice. You can't refuse, because they'll add to your sentence or simply kill you somewhere, that's it. There are special places they take you to. There they beat, kill, and rape you—says one of the Russian prisoners.
According to him, they were told that "NATO troops entered Kursk, that there are no longer Ukrainians there, only the French Foreign Legion."
- We were told that the Ukrainians are long gone. All Ukrainians have been killed, there are only mercenaries, the whole war is against the whole world. Allegedly, Russia is fighting the whole world,—says another Russian prisoner in the video.
Attack on the Kursk region in Russia
In August, Ukraine attacked the Kursk region in Russia, deploying up to 300 troops, 11 tanks, and over 20 armored personnel carriers. Within six days, Ukrainian forces, including several thousand troops, initially encountering no serious resistance, occupied about 1,300 square kilometres of Russian territory.
The occupied territories are to be used as a bargaining chip during negotiations with Putin.
