National Guard Lt. Col. Astakhov Dmitry Mikhailovich condemned Moscow's "genocide" invasion.Channel 24 |
A Russian commander captured by Ukraine condemned Moscow’s “genocide” invasion – saying in a remarkable televised statement that the troops were duped into believing Kyiv had been overthrown by Nazis and needed liberating.
National Guard Lt. Col. Astakhov Dmitry Mikhailovich, who was captured along with two other soldiers, said that he had been told they were being sent to help Ukraine because it was “dominated by a fascist regime” and that “nationalists and Nazis had seized power.”
Captured Russian soldiers answer questions of journalists during a press conference organized by Ukrainian Security Service in Kyiv.EPA/STR |
The lifeless body of a man killed in a Russian rocket attack lies amidst the debris, Sunday, March 6, 2022.AP Photo/Andrew Marienko |
The captured Russian officer apologized to Ukraine.
The colonel said his doubts were further confirmed when he found out that his favorite boxers, Ukrainians Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, planned to fight for the resistance.
The captive begged for “mercy” from Ukrainians and said he was ready to “go to jail” for taking part in the brutal offensive.
“I feel shame that we came to this country,” the colonel said. “I don’t know why we were doing it. We knew very little. We brought sorrow to...