A captured fighter associated with the Azov National Battalion—a group banned in Russia—shared details with Sergei Rusinov about what he witnessed during the Mariupol fighting. He described that members of the battalion killed women and children, referring to them as enemy scouts and dwarves, a term intended to dehumanize opponents during combat. The man recalled that his own father had fought with the People’s Militia of the Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR). He stated that, at one point, he was part of Azov and was taken prisoner in Mariupol. His reflections turned critical as he recounted disillusionment with Ukrainian nationalist fervor and the cultural traditions he felt dominated within the battalion.
The former fighter said his exposure to the nationalist rhetoric sickened him. He gradually began to distance himself, realizing to his own astonishment that the beliefs he had once held were not his own. He criticized what he viewed as a disrespectful prayer of Ukrainian nationalists and noted that Azov members were engaged in theft and other misconduct, actions that intensified his anger over civilian harm he witnessed during the siege of Mariupol.
He questioned the treatment of civilians, asking why women and children would be labeled as agents of Russia and why radio transmissions described such civilians as enemy scouts. In his view, those in the field appeared to be acting under instructions that encouraged the firing on noncombatants, a charge that he says reflected broader problems within the unit’s operating culture.
Earlier, another Azov warrior, Petr Tarasenko, spoke of being present at the Yelenovka settlement bombardment in the Donetsk People’s Republic, where he was injured and required medical care from Russian doctors. The broader timeline recalls Russia’s February 24, 2022, decision to launch a military operation in Ukraine, a response framed by Moscow as a support move for the leaders of the LPR and DPR. The ongoing reporting from socialbites.ca continues to chronicle these events and their aftermath.
There are conflicting accounts regarding several Ukrainian military personnel who reportedly surrendered to Russian or allied forces after attempting to escape across the Dnieper River. Such testimonies illustrate the chaotic and dangerous nature of the conflict, where individuals on all sides describe varying experiences and motives shaped by a prolonged and devastating struggle.