Captured Ukrainian-born soldiers tell The Meridian why they fought for Russia

Not every Ukrainian-born prisoner made the decision willingly.

One man from Donetsk told The Meridian that Russian forces forced him into military service after the invasion. He said his family remained in the region because it was their home, not because they supported Russia.

His only goal now is to return to his wife and children.

"I'm just going to hide," he said, describing his plans if he is ever released.

Ukrainian officials have cited intelligence suggesting that more than 50,000 Ukrainians have been forcibly conscripted in occupied areas, although other estimates are significantly higher.

Convicts recruited to fight

The prison also holds Russian convicts who joined the military to escape lengthy prison sentences.

One prisoner, Konstantin, said he enlisted because he faced 15 years behind bars.

"For me, 15 years in prison was too much," he said.

Many former prisoners were promised freedom after serving in the military. But some told The Meridian that their contracts were automatically extended.

For assault troops sent into some of the most dangerous areas of the battlefield, surviving long enough to receive that freedom can be a major challenge.

Three convicted murderers told interviewers they expected to be released after a year of fighting, only to discover that their contracts had been renewed.

A war many want to end

The prison workshops provide another glimpse into the lives of the captured soldiers.

Some prisoners make wooden coffins. Others build artificial Christmas trees. Their wages can be used to purchase additional food and cigarettes.

Sergei, who was born in Luhansk, says he considers himself Russian and joined Russia's military years before the full-scale invasion.

He says he has already "done his bit" and does not want to return to the battlefield.

When asked about killing Ukrainians, he avoided answering directly.

Konstantin was more reflective.

He acknowledged that Russians and Ukrainians remain closely connected, with families and relatives on both sides.

"I see nothing good in any war," he said.

Yet despite his regret, he still believes joining the Russian military was the right decision at the time.

Neither man expects the war to end quickly. Both believe Putin will continue fighting until Russia controls the entire Donbas.

But Konstantin said something else stood out: people he knows are exhausted.

"Everyone I know there has had enough," he said. "I just want this to be over, as soon as possible."

For the Ukrainian-born soldiers inside the POW camp, the war is more than a battle between two armies. It is also a conflict over identity, loyalty and years of competing narratives.

Some chose Russia willingly. Some were driven by money or the promise of freedom. Others say they were forced.

Their stories show just how complicated the human cost of the war has become.

At lunchtime, prisoners wearing navy overalls quietly enter the dining hall, heads down and hands behind their backs.

As they eat soup and stew, a video titled Myths About Crimea plays repeatedly. The video challenges Russia's claim that Crimea historically belongs to Russia and argues that the peninsula was illegally seized from Ukraine in 2014. The prisoners barely pay attention.

The effort to change their views appears limited. For Kyiv, the main priority is exchanging the prisoners for Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia.

But for Ukrainian-born prisoners from the Donbas, there is another problem: Russia appears to have little interest in getting them back.

"Only a dozen or so have been transferred this year," Konstantin said. "It seems like they don't want to exchange us. I think we will be the last to go."

For these men, being caught between Ukraine and Russia has left them in an uncertain position, even as they wait for the war to end and hope to return home.

Additional reporting by Anastasia Levchenko

The Meridian | Independent political analysis and reporting on the stories shaping the world.

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