Ukrainian Soldier Captured in Kursk Breaks Down on Camera, Describes Forced Mobilization
A 40-year-old Ukrainian soldier captive in Kursk couldn’t hold back his emotions as he was asked to send a message to his family. The former member of the 17th Separate Tank Brigade’s guard company surrendered after his unit attempted to break out of a encircled area in November.
"I was on my way to work when the bus was stopped, and I was handed a summons. I went to the military commission… I can’t afford to leave, I don’t have money or a passport," said prisoner of war Alexander Tsveli.
Tsveli explained that soldiers were pressured to stay, with consequences ranging from criminal charges to being declared missing in action if they attempted to leave. In September, his unit was sent to the Sumy region. On October 9, they were driven across the border into Russia in a civilian pickup truck.
Tsveli’s account sheds light on the often overlooked stories of soldiers like him, whose fates have been determined by circumstances beyond their control.
