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He has now joined Ukraine’s “Russian Volunteer Corps”.
A young Russian serviceman has described how he allegedly passed sensitive battlefield information to Ukrainian forces while deployed on the front line—before joining the Ukrainian army and fighting against Russia.
The 19-year-old, originally from Novosibirsk and not identified by name, said he had been drafted while studying before signing a contract in hopes of a different military role. Instead, he was sent directly into combat.
He told the YouTuber Dmitry “Apostol” Karpenko that his unit suffered significant casualties, estimating up to 150 killed and around 50 wounded during operations.
Note that the claims made in the interview have not been independently verified.
Early deployment
According to Militarnyi, the soldier said he first served with the 150th Motorized Rifle Division in Novocherkassk before being reassigned to the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment.
There, he was made a UAV operator despite lacking proper training. His unit operated near Sofiivka and Volodymyrivka, where conditions were described as difficult, with limited supplies and harsh weather.
During this period, he claimed to have established contact with the Ukrainian project “I Want to Live,” which helps Russian soldiers surrender peacefully to Ukraine.
Passing information
According to the 19-year-old’s account, he later began sharing coordinates of Russian positions, equipment, and routes for about 80 days.
He said the information was transmitted almost in real time, with delays of 10 to 15 minutes, allowing Ukrainian forces to strike targets even after routes were changed.
The soldier claimed that at least two tanks, multiple rocket systems, UAV crews, and mortar teams were hit as a result.
Escape and aftermath
Despite suspicions within the unit, he said the source of the leak was never identified.
Alongside this, he continued flying UAV missions, logging around 1,200 hours, and described the use of “meat assaults” by his division.
He eventually crossed roughly 20 km to reach Ukrainian positions and was evacuated. He stated he intends to join Ukraine’s “Russian Volunteer Corps.”
The entire interview with the 19-year-old can be seen on Apostol “Dmytro” Karpenko’s YouTube channel here (opens new tab).
Sources: Interview with Dmitry “Apostol” Karpenko, open-source reports, Militarnyi, the “I Want to Live” project
