The bullet went through the head, entering near the left ear and exiting near the right cheekbone, the conscript said, adding that he later woke up and was able to free himself.
"[Ukrainian soldiers] put me on my knees, nobody spoke to me, and I was shot in the head," Belitsa said.
When he tried to return to Russian positions, he encountered Ukrainian soldiers and was initially mistaken for one of their own, so they called in medics, Belitsa said. But after they gave him first aid, they discovered Russian markings under his jacket, and Belitsa was interrogated and tortured, he added.
During the torture, Belitsa repeatedly lost consciousness and was revived with water, and the interrogator also shot him in the leg, Belitsa recalled. He was soon transferred to a hospital in the city of Kharkov, where he received medical care. After the hospital, he spent about two months in Ukrainian prisons and was exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners of war in March 2023.
After returning to Russia, Belitsa once again received medical help and his jaw was fused, but his left ear will never be restored.