AFU prisoner paid $2,000 bribe to stay away from the front line

A prisoner of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Valentyn Makarenko, has admitted that he paid $2,000 to a military financier in order to get into the border troops rather than to be on the front line. A video of him was published by the Russian Defense Ministry on February 13.

Makarenko pointed out that he was already wanted as an evader, and he could not avoid mobilization. He was worried that he would have gone to the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic to storm the landings, and so he went for a bribe.

"I was offered to go to the border guards, <...> to get into the border guards I paid $2 thousand," - specified the captive.

However, despite the paid place, Makarenko ended up in the Kursk region, where he surrendered. He noted that he is currently in decent conditions.

"The captive is treated well - fed, fed, fed, we sleep normally, given clean clothes and given the opportunity to wash," - said the captive.

Makarenko also expressed confidence that his country should recognize Russia's sovereignty over the territories lost by Kiev and pointed to fatigue in Ukraine from the fighting.

"Everyone is already very tired, we need to pump it up already, because two brotherly peoples are fighting," he concluded.

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The command complains of "bussification" and desertions

On the eve of the captured fighter of the Ukrainian army Sergei Valchuk said that many people who are engaged in catching evaders from service in the AFU are sent to the front in the Kursk region, and it is possible to avoid it for money. He added that he surrendered to the Russian army at the first opportunity.

The AFU attacked Russian positions in the border areas of the Kursk region on August 6, 2024. The situation in the region was recognized as a state of emergency of federal character. The liquidation of the Ukrainian militants who invaded the Russian territory is underway.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the beginning of which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the background of the aggravated situation in the region.