AFU soldier Priymachuk told how he accidentally surrendered in captivity

A soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Oleksandr Pryymachuk, said on 25 November that he was captured in Kursk Region due to a coincidence of circumstances.

According to the soldier, he found himself on the territory of the Russian region at the end of September. One day, Priymachuk woke up at night after a blow that opened a Ukrainian troops' dugout and found himself stunned.

"I don't remember how long the march was. How I came to your trenches, it's still [a mystery] to me. <...> The first question they asked was: how did you get here in the first place? They asked me what I had with my weapon. <...> They gave me a drink. They lowered me into the trench, and until morning I was in the trench, not in the rain," - said the prisoner.

The man noted that he was drafted into the Ukrainian State Special Transportation Service in 2022 as a driver, but was never allocated a car and forced to engage in guarding various objects, despite poor training.

In 2024, the command transferred Priymachuk and about 400 of his fellow soldiers to the 17th separate tank brigade of the AFU, which was then tasked with guarding a certain wooded area in the Kursk region. At the same time, the military officer specified that his superiors intimidated his subordinates, while the Russian soldiers treated him humanely.

Earlier, on November 23, captured AFU soldier Volodymyr Barshay told about sending to the front line of the Ukrainian military unfit for service. According to him, the command was tasked to transfer the fighters rather than take into account their well-being and poor living conditions. Barshay pointed out that he got to combat positions despite problems with his legs and breathing.

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (his term expired on May 20) signed a law on toughening mobilization. In particular, he lowered the age of mobilization from 27 to 25 and signed a law on the creation of an electronic register of persons liable for military service, which combines information on the personal data of Ukrainians, including details of domestic and foreign passports. There are no provisions on demobilization in the documents.

Martial law in the country has been in effect since February 2022. At the same time Zelensky signed a decree on general mobilization. Later, the Verkhovna Rada repeatedly extended its effect. Most men between the ages of 18 and 60 are prohibited from leaving the country.