Photo via @hackingbutlegal/Twitter
March 7, 2022, 11:44 am*
A captured Russian lieutenant-colonel reported in front of a Ukrainian Independent Information Agency backdrop that he and most of his people have been “brainwashed” into supporting Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, saying his forces were told they were liberating the country from Nazis. The officer, Astakhov Dmitry Mikhailovich, claimed to be a leader of the Russian national guard’s special rapid response unit and realized that what he was doing was wrong when two of his favorite boxers, Ukrainians Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, joined the fight to protect their country.
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He, along with two fellow Russian soldiers, begged for mercy for their fellow invaders and simultaneously urged them to lay down their arms.
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“You are in a tense situation, going against your own commander. But this is genocide,” he said. “Russia cannot win here anyway. Even if we go until the very end. We can invade the territory but we cannot invade the people.”
This, out of #Ukraine, is 100% one of the most incredible videos I have ever seen.
This Russian POW has the heart of a lion
pic.twitter.com/KIx1rsN0CZ
— Jackie Singh
(@hackingbutlegal) March 6, 2022
He further said that the Ukrainian people were right to fight back. “If someone came to my territory, I would do the same as these people did and I would be right. They are right now.”
“I cannot find the words to say sorry to the Ukrainian people.”
Saying these things in front of cameras could be incredibly dangerous for these officers as Russia cracks down on speech, imposing 15-year prison sentences for anyone spreading news that the authoritarian government considers to be “fake.” The Kremlin has been adamantly denying easily observable truths such as the fact that their forces have been bombing residential areas including apartment buildings, schools, and hospitals. Multiple independent media outlets in the country have been forced to shut down.
It could be much worse for soldiers who turn on Russia, with the possibility of a treason charge hanging over their heads. In spite of this, young and deceived Russian soldiers have been filmed time and time again denouncing the war, with one captured soldier urging his mother to spread the word about the realities of the invasion on social media.
Ukrainians have, for the most part, appeared to absolutely show mercy to these soldiers, promising that every captured individual would be allowed to call their families and offering routes for Russian mothers to come and pick up their children to take home. One video showed a soldier crying as Ukrainians offered him food and tea while they placed a call to his mom.
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The video of Mikhailovich is now spreading like wildfire, gaining over 10 million views in a day, and is inspiring calls for an end to misinformation in Russia and, more importantly, and end to the war.
A Russian POW begs for forgiveness from the Ukrainian people. “If someone came on my land, I would do exactly what Ukrainians are doing—and I’d be right.” Says people people back home have been brainwashed—including himself.
Watch the whole thing. It’s extraordinary. https://t.co/ljlpIIWxVX
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) March 6, 2022
This is possibly the most powerful video I’ve ever watched it is worth the whole 10 minutes. Hopefully his comrades see it. https://t.co/SJh5YSBH8Z
— Tim Miller (@Timodc) March 6, 2022
This brave guy tells it like it is, and deserves HUGE exposure. Please RT. #Ukraine https://t.co/obMRBW4yGF
— Mick
(@MickMitchell8) March 7, 2022
Tolstoyan – or maybe Dostoevskyan – ” you can invade territory but you cant invade people..” https://t.co/pcwokI5Lzm
— Simon Schama (@simon_schama) March 7, 2022
#Anonymous should be hacking every single device in Russia and playing this clip over and over. Putin is lying to everyone. https://t.co/am2RAtBx82
— Scott (@NevinMcScott) March 7, 2022
It’s 10 minutes long. Spend 10 minutes to watch this. There are subtitles so you’ll have to pay attention and read. Trust me; the longer you watch the more you’ll want to share this. So watch and share so that we all can understand what’s happening. #Ukraine #humanity https://t.co/kiNYyrhUdC
— Jim Finnane (@jim_finnane) March 7, 2022
Incredible video and the man speaks like a Dostoevsky character: is redemption even possible? https://t.co/qLxRfs8Su5
— Ukranian Hacker Balding 大老板 (@BaldingsWorld) March 7, 2022
A very powerful Russian POW video with an apology and a plea to all Russians https://t.co/T28tVIqVAK
— Dmitri Alperovitch (@DAlperovitch) March 6, 2022
*First Published: March 7, 2022, 11:43 am
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