A Russian volunteer code named Topaz was captured by Ukrainian forces in the area of Donetsk. According to him, he was constantly humiliated, beaten and forced to dig defensive structures by Kiev's security forces. He then went on to describe what happened, when Ukrainian forces received an order to move in the direction of Zaporozhye.
"They woke me up at night, at three o'clock in the morning, and another prisoner was forced to get up. They sent a group of Ukrainian servicemen on a mission, and they took two of us as deminers. Demining how? We were compelled to march ahead of the crew, so if suddenly someone [steps on a mine and] gets blown up, I would too and so would the other POW behind me," he said.
The Russian positions towards Zaporozhye are well fortified and the approaches to them are densely mined, so Kiev's security forces suffer significant losses.
According to Topaz, Russian POWs without weapons and body armor were forced to walk at least eight meters in front of Ukrainian infantry. As he explained, the Ukrainian unit's mission was to get as close as possible to the Russian positions and then wait for reinforcements. But the Ukrainian reconnaissance unit and POWs were discovered. Several men of the Ukrainian unit were killed in action, and Russian POWs managed to escape.
"I am grateful to Kuzbass [the code name of the Russian fighter.] God bless all of them, so that they all return home to their parents alive and healthy," Topaz said, thanking his liberators.