Three captured soldiers of the Russian army attacking Ukraine gave a briefing in Odesa. The Odesa Region Military Administration published the video from the briefing.
Captured Russians Ivan Temnyi, Roman Radionov, and Ivan Holovtsov told how and why they came to our country and apologized to the Ukrainians. They claim that they did not know where they were being sent until the last moment.
Grenade launcher Ivan Temnyi from Moscow says he arrived in Ukraine from Crimea on 24 February 2022.
"Nobody told us that we had to perform any military tasks on the territory of Ukraine. Instead, we were arranged in a column, and an hour before leaving, when nothing could be changed, we were told that we were going to Nova Kakhovka," the military said.
Also, he said that there were people in the column who wanted to refuse to go to Ukraine. He also noted that the Russian leadership first didn't give any clear orders, and when they reached Mykolaiv, where they were defeated, "any orders disappeared."
"We were just dumped. Along with a lot of military vehicles and equipment," said the captured occupier.
A soldier Roman Radionov from the Sverdlovsk region said that they did not receive a task to kill civilians but only to take them as prisoners. However, he acknowledged that the Russian occupiers killed civilians and destroyed infrastructure.
"At first, we were not tasked with killing civilians, only the military; if they surrender, we were supposed to take them as prisoners. We also were not supposed to destroy civilian infrastructure. But as it turned out, already in battle, we killed civilians and destroyed houses. Nothing, what the commanders initially told us was done, "Radionov said.
The Russian military "attacked" a hen coop in a Ukrainian village and stole poultry.
He [Radionov] said that the order to kill civilians came about three days late when they were already in the Kherson region.
The commander of the automobile service of the 34th Brigade of the Mountain Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Ivan Holovtsov from the Arkhanhelsk region, said that the leadership kept secret where the Russian military columns were moving. He also emphasized that half of the personnel would refuse to go to war in Ukraine if they were told about it.
"I do not support what is happening now because many innocent civilians, children, and the elderly are dying," the Russian military added.
All three occupiers apologized to the Ukrainian people and noted that "they are being treated well" in Ukraine after they surrendered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Several Russian militaries wished to stay in Ukraine, fearing for their lives after returning from captivity. Also, according to the SSU, the occupiers are hiding in Ukrainian forests and villages and even surrender to farmers.
Earlier, the Russian military that was captured told aboutthe situation eith desertion.