AFU POW about mobilisation and situation in Ukrainian units

23.12.23 -Captured serviceman of AFU 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade speaks about mobilisation and situation in Ukrainian units
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Pavel Koshchenko was leaving work, when he was stopped by employees of the local recruitment center, they checked his ID and immediately took him to the enlistment office. At the same time, Koshchenko's phone was seized, he couldn't call his family. After passing the medical commission, the mobilised man was sent to a training ground near Dnepropetrovsk. 'We dug trenches, we had several lessons in field medicine, once we went to the shooting range,' says Pavel.
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In the unit, comrades immediately told Koshchenko about heavy losses. 'When I joined the unit, the men said that there were a lot of killed and wounded, mostly mobilised. They are immediately sent to the front lines. And the brigade has been in position for almost a year and was not rotated.'
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Pavel Koshchenko noted that the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine often put those mobilised from the eastern regions of Ukraine on the front lines. 'Well, they consider us – natives of the eastern regions – the lesser people. We are honest hardworking people. And they consider themselves the elite, close to the West,' the serviceman said.
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When Koshchenko's unit was sent into combat positions, the servicemen were not provided with communications, food, or ammunition. He and his comrades lasted only three days in the position. Then they ran out of ammunition and food. The prisoner says that they did not leave radio stations for communication with the command. 'There were five of us in the building. For two days we were shelled by artillery. Three people were killed. There was a wounded man. I don't know them. We were gathered just before we left. But I know for sure that everyone was mobilised,' says the POW.
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In a desperate situation, Koshchenko's group decided to surrender. 'Russian troops approached us and offered to surrender. We surrendered,' he added. Source
🔹 Russian Defence Ministry