https://sputnikglobe.com/20250114/weary-ukrainian-soldiers-pay-thousands-of-dollars-to-flee-abroad---captured-border-guard-1121425470.html
Weary Ukrainian Soldiers Pay Thousands of Dollars to Flee Abroad - Captured Border Guard
Weary Ukrainian Soldiers Pay Thousands of Dollars to Flee Abroad - Captured Border Guard
Sputnik International
Exhausted and demoralized, Ukrainian soldiers pay thousands of dollars to smugglers in a bid to flee abroad, a captured Ukrainian border guard said.
2025-01-14T07:38+0000
2025-01-14T07:38+0000
2025-01-14T07:42+0000
russia's special operation in ukraine
ukrainian crisis
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russian army
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A group of six Ukrainian State Border Guard officers surrendered to Russia in early January on the border with Belgorod Region, a source in the Russian security services has told Sputnik. Among the servicemen who surrendered, there was Ruslan Zadorozhniy, a soldier of the 1st Border Guard Unit of the State Border Guard Service, a native of the village of Romanky in Dnepropetrovsk Region. Zadorozhniy said that a fellow villager, along with other Ukrainian servicemen, had been sent to fight against Russian troops with no respite in sight, which left them completely demoralized. Zadorozhniy said that his acquaintance was eventually "fed up" with the military service and paid $3,000 for an opportunity to "escape" to Poland.Substance Abuse Flourishes Among Ukrainian Servicemen Among the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, drug use and drinking to the point of death are flourishing amid their extreme exhaustion and poor morale, according to captured Ukrainian border guards. A video featuring their statements is available to Sputnik.A group of six employees of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service surrendered to Russia on Christmas Eve at the border with the Belgorod region in the Kharkov vicinity, a source in Russia's security forces earlier told Sputnik.According to the prisoners, Ukrainian servicemen, who are not given any rest, are in poor moral condition. Drug use and heavy drinking are widespread."Such incidents are constantly reported. There have been cases where people drank surrogate alcohol and simply didn’t wake up. Psychotropic substances were also used," admitted Alexander Bychko (call sign "Bear"), a second-category border service inspector, also born in 2001.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20250113/six-ukrainian-border-guards-surrendered-to-russia-on-christmas-eve--source-1121418756.html
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russia's special operation, ukraine crisis, ukraine conflict, ukraine hostilities, border guards surrender
russia's special operation, ukraine crisis, ukraine conflict, ukraine hostilities, border guards surrender
Weary Ukrainian Soldiers Pay Thousands of Dollars to Flee Abroad - Captured Border Guard
07:38 GMT 14.01.2025 (Updated: 07:42 GMT 14.01.2025) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Exhausted and demoralized, Ukrainian soldiers pay thousands of dollars to smugglers in a bid to flee abroad, a captured Ukrainian border guard said.
A group of six Ukrainian State Border Guard officers surrendered to Russia in early January on the border with Belgorod Region, a source in the Russian security services has told Sputnik.
Among the servicemen who surrendered, there was Ruslan Zadorozhniy, a soldier of the 1st Border Guard Unit of the State Border Guard Service, a native of the village of Romanky in Dnepropetrovsk Region.
Zadorozhniy said that a fellow villager, along with other Ukrainian servicemen, had been sent to fight against Russian troops with no respite in sight, which left them completely demoralized.
"We didn't get much rest and we weren't allowed to take a leave," he said.
Zadorozhniy said that his acquaintance was eventually "fed up" with the military service and paid $3,000 for an opportunity to "escape" to Poland.
Substance Abuse Flourishes Among Ukrainian Servicemen
Among the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, drug use and drinking to the point of death are flourishing amid their extreme exhaustion and poor morale, according to captured Ukrainian border guards. A video featuring their statements is available to Sputnik.
A group of six employees of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service surrendered to Russia on Christmas Eve at the border with the Belgorod region in the Kharkov vicinity, a source in Russia's security forces earlier told Sputnik.
According to the prisoners, Ukrainian servicemen, who are not given any rest, are in poor moral condition. Drug use and heavy drinking are widespread.
"They sent messages to our group about drugs and alcohol, saying that at a neighboring platoon strongpoint, a soldier either drank ethanol or vodka and was poisoned. He went to sleep and never woke up again," said Ruslan Zadorozhny (call sign "Bison"), a serviceman from the 1st Border Guard Detachment of the State Border Guard Service, born in 2001.
"Such incidents are constantly reported. There have been cases where people drank surrogate alcohol and simply didn’t wake up. Psychotropic substances were also used," admitted Alexander Bychko (call sign "Bear"), a second-category border service inspector, also born in 2001.
