Russia Replenishes Its Forces with Ukrainian Prisoners: Shocking Details

Russia continues creating combat units by recruiting Ukrainian prisoners of war, which contradicts international humanitarian law. This is stated in a report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to analysts, the so-called Volunteer Corps of the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the completion of the formation of the first Ukrainian volunteer brigade of special purpose. The Russian side claims that Ukrainian POWs and former servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine joined its ranks, allegedly switching to the side of Russia. The brigade was formed by uniting several irregular formations, including battalions named after Maksym Kryvonos and Oleksii Berest, as well as detachments named after Oleksandr Matrosov and Martyn Pushkar. ISW notes that including these formations in the Russian Defense Ministry’s Volunteer Corps could indicate an effort to centralize their control and integrate them into the Russian army’s structure. Information about the participation of Ukrainian POWs in such units was previously circulated by Russian military bloggers. Analysts emphasize that forcing prisoners of war to serve in the armed forces of the state that holds them is prohibited by the Third Geneva Convention. The use of POWs in hostilities also contravenes international humanitarian law. ISW suggests that the Kremlin may pursue two goals at once — military and propaganda. From a military standpoint, involving prisoners in combat could be used to replenish Russian formations and compensate for losses on the front. At the same time, in its propaganda, the Kremlin may seek to create the impression of a large-scale “schism” in Ukrainian society and discredit the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Thus, the creation of such formations may be aimed not only at strengthening the Russian troop group but also at spreading propaganda narratives about supposed support for Russia among Ukrainian servicemen. “Fakty” remind that German military observer Julian Röpke, who visited Ukraine and spoke with fighters, said that in June Ukrainians placed high hopes on strikes against Russian logistics both in the occupied territories and deep inside Russia, expecting that this would seriously weaken the offensive potential of the Russian army. However, these calculations have not yet materialized: despite record losses of Russian troops, the strategic situation has changed only partially — advances have slowed but not stopped.