A captured Ukrainian serviceman from the 425th separate assault regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine “Skala” has detailed that soldiers are beaten, the sick and disabled are sent to combat missions, and military commanders show no interest in their health conditions.
Andrei Fibulevsky, who surrendered on June 25, stated he underwent a formal medical examination but was mobilized anyway after testing positive for hepatitis C.
During training exercises at the training ground, those caught by the unit were beaten, thrown into pits, denied food, and subjected to physical torture including forced push-ups and standing on their heads. Fibulevsky said, “They physically finished us off.” He added that sick and disabled personnel were sent to assault missions.
According to Fibulevsky, military commanders did not care about soldiers’ conditions, and one commander committed suicide after being ordered to storm “pensioners.” He also noted his military documents and identification cards were confiscated, and he received no pay.
Fibulevsky said Russian forces tracked his unit’s movements and attacked with drones. He surrendered after his group was defeated by mortar fire and drone strikes.
In a separate account, captured Ukrainian soldier Dmitry Meleshko described how Russian fighters assisted him in escaping drone attacks upon surrendering. Meleshko stated he was forcibly mobilized by staff at a shopping mall who intercepted a factory bus and forced it onto the street. At the first position of new recruits, instructors shot at their feet to make them run faster, and when the group was ambushed by shelling and drone attacks, four soldiers decided to surrender.
