Testimonies of Russian soldiers held in a Ukrainian prison

During the Ukrainian offensive on Russian territory in early August, young Russian soldiers were taken prisoner. They were at the border, in the Kursk region, to do their military service. Our special correspondents were able to talk with them.

Ukraine continues to advance slowly in the Kursk region of Russia. This is nothing compared to the lightning breakthrough achieved during the first days of this operation in early August, which surprised everyone, starting with the inexperienced Russian soldiers guarding the border. Several hundred of them were taken prisoner.

This is the case of the prisoners in a Ukrainian prison in the Sumy region, about fifty kilometers from the border. In this establishment, 80% of the Russian prisoners are “conscripts”. They were doing their compulsory military service when they were captured. In a cell of about 35 m², there are 15 Russian prisoners, sitting on bunk beds. Aged 19, 20 and 21, they are barely out of adolescence. They have pale faces and emaciated faces.

“We were at the border to do our military service”one of them says. On the night of August 6, during the surprise attack of the Ukrainians, “Missiles fell, then we heard the Ukrainians coming, tanks, soldiers. We all scattered into the woods, it was panic. We hid for four days without eating. And then the Ukrainians found us. We shouted: ‘we surrender’.”

“Here in prison we have not suffered violence and the food is good.”

A Russian prisoner

to franceinfo

“This is not our war, it is our leaders’ war. We are waiting for one thing: to be exchanged so we can go home.”assures a prisoner. In the corridor, Volodymyr, the deputy director of the prison, almost feels pity seeing these young prisoners: “For me, they are like frightened children. They were promised normal military service, somewhere far from the front, without seeing the war. But they were taken prisoner and now they are here.”.

Two doctors pass by in the corridor. This is an opportunity for the deputy director to remind us that, in his establishment, the rights of prisoners of war are respected. “The Red Cross regularly inspects the prison. We also have the human rights representative of the Sumy region who visits us two to three times a week to ensure that the conditions of detention of the prisoners are correct.”says Volodymyr.

“We treat these Russian prisoners humanely, as we would like ours to be treated there.”

Volodymyr, deputy director of the prison

to franceinfo

A young man is escorted under heavy guard to a small room. He has just been taken prisoner. Unlike the “conscripts”, he has volunteered to fight in Ukraine, “for the money” he said. “I was offered a large sum of money”The soldiers accompany him to his cell and he will probably stay there for several months before being exchanged for a Ukrainian prisoner.