A camp full of captive Russian fighters may be found in Western Ukraine, behind thick walls and layers of closed gates. Many of those crouching in the shade of the jail yard were recruited from major towns such as St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, rather than remote and impoverished districts as was the case during the outset of the full-scale invasion.
However, not all the convicts are Russian. Among them are Ukrainian troops, guys who fought their own nation. Interviewing prisoners of war is difficult because you must first ensure that they are not being coerced, and then judge how openly they are speaking given the circumstances.
However, with limited access to the military within Russia, this is an opportunity to examine the mechanics of the conflict and investigate what may inspire the individuals fighting it. This includes Ukrainian-born soldiers on Russia’s side.
We gave everyone the option to decline an interview and spoke with those who agreed away from any guards and without cameras. In addition to multiple formal interviews, I spoke with detainees directly in Russian at several sites.
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