Russian soldiers reveal commanders abandoned the Kursk battle
During one of the attacks in the Kursk region, the Russians experienced significant losses, and soldiers of the 80th Air Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine captured those who survived. Now, Russian prisoners of war are recounting that their commanders fled as soon as the fighting began. They also revealed the nature of the propaganda disseminated by the Kremlin.
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 were also present," comments a representative from the 80th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the video.
Commanders fled, soldiers made to believe they were fighting NATO
The soldiers were sent into battle "like cannon fodder," while their command "turned away and drove off in the opposite direction."
In the video, the Russian prisoners of war claim they were coerced into the conflict.
"They simply don't give you a choice," one prisoner states. "You can't refuse, because they'll extend your sentence or simply kill you, that's it." He adds, "There are special places they take you to, where they beat, kill, and rape you."
According to him, they were told that "NATO troops had entered Kursk, that there were 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 armoured personnel carriers. Within six days, Ukrainian forces, including several thousand troops, initially encountering no serious resistance, occupied 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of Russian territory.
The occupied territories are to be used as a bargaining chip during negotiations with Putin.
