Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
According to Ukraine, the soldiers were sent back into active duty after returning home.
Surviving a war zone once can seem like pure luck when hundreds of thousands have lost their lives during the same conflict.
Surviving a war zone twice, after being sent back to the front after being released from captivity, sounds borderline impossible, but in the war between Russia and Ukraine, a number of Russian soldiers seem to rather stay alive than to be sent back to the front.
Returning to danger
Commanders often expect traded prisoners of war to jump right back into battle once they return home. In Russia, troops brought back through official exchanges find themselves shipped directly back to combat zones without delay.
That relentless rotation has created an unusual situation on the front lines. According to Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, twenty Russian servicemen are back in Ukrainian custody after surrendering for a second time.
These soldiers chose to give up again rather than die under fire. Ukrainian officials noted that the men knew what to expect in captivity, having experienced conditions that meet international standards under the Geneva Conventions.
A stark contrast
The decision to surrender twice highlights a major gap in how both armies handle returned captives. Ukrainian soldiers released from Russian detention have the legal right to resign from military service whenever they wish.
Russian troops get no such choice from their commanders. Instead, Ukrainian outreach programs like “I Want to Live” reach across enemy lines to inform soldiers about safe ways to surrender.
“It is important for us that as many Russians as possible surrender. Every such prisoner of war replenishes the exchange fund and increases our ability to bring Ukrainian Defenders home from Russian captivity. When Russian occupiers choose captivity over death, it means more chances for our people to return home,” stated Deputy Head of the Coordination Headquarters Andrii Yusov.
Remembering past tragedies
The treatment of captives remains a critical issue in the ongoing war.
Ukrainian authorities point to past atrocities, including the 2022 blast at the Olenivka prison colony, where Russian guards delayed medical help after an explosion killed dozens of captives.
With those stark events hanging over the conflict, Ukraine aims to showcase a far different environment for captured troops. Officials hope humane detention conditions will encourage surrenders and bring more Ukrainian soldiers home.
