Ukrainian troops capture Uzbek citizen on Lyman front

A citizen of Uzbekistan who fought for Russia in an offensive against the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been captured on the Lyman front by Ukrainian soldiers from the 106th Battalion of 63rd Mechanised Brigade, known as the Steel Lions.

Source: 63rd Mechanised Brigade

Details: The prisoner of war, named only as Umit, said he agreed to serve in the Russian army in exchange for Russian citizenship after a year of service and a cash reward of 2 million roubles (about US$25,000).

Quote from Umit: "Salaries are low in Uzbekistan. I was working on a building site and I needed Russian citizenship. They said ‘Serve for a year and we’ll give you citizenship.’ Then I ended up here."

Umit said he had no previous military experience and had not served in the army before. After being recruited, he was sent to take part in an assault on Ukrainian positions. During the battle, he got lost, was hit, lost his bearings and walked right up to the positions of the Ukrainian military, where he was taken prisoner.

"Russians, come and join him – this is your only chance to survive!" the brigade said.

Quote from Umit: "I was a fool. I didn't think it would be like this. I thought I would serve in the army and go back. But this is not the army; here you have to kill people. I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to destroy a country."

Background: On 23 April, soldiers from the 49th Carpathian Sich Separate Assault Battalion on the Toretsk front in Donetsk Oblast captured an African mercenary fighting for the Russian occupation army.

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