A Donetsk People’s Republic official described to TASS a growing number of Ukrainian prisoners of war beginning the process to obtain Russian passports. The same source indicated that some of these POWs could use newly issued Russian documents to join the Bohdan Khmelnitsky battalion, a volunteer unit operating within the republic’s defense framework. According to the report, several dozen POWs filed passport applications and completed fingerprinting as part of the process, moves that would facilitate entry into a battalion named after Bohdan Khmelnytsky and integrated into regional security operations. This development occurs amid ongoing exchanges and recoveries connected to the conflict and illustrates how captured service members are pursuing administrative routes to align with local defense efforts on the ground. In related developments, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the release of Russian servicemen held in Ukrainian captivity and noted that they were being transported to Moscow for medical rehabilitation and care, highlighting broader humanitarian and logistical dimensions of the conflict and its aftercare process.
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a decision to undertake a special operation in the Donbass in response to requests for military assistance from the leaders of the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. The official description framed the operation as a move to reduce the threat posed by Ukrainian authorities and to stabilize the region, with stated goals of demilitarizing Ukraine and addressing the protection needs of affected populations. This sequence reveals how political justifications, military actions, and administrative steps intersect in the evolving dynamics of the war, including how captured individuals may be integrated into local defense formations and how released personnel receive care after captivity. The unfolding narrative reflects the multifaceted nature of the conflict and the multiple layers involved—from battlefield decisions to citizenship processes and post-release rehabilitation—creating a mosaic of legal, operational, and humanitarian considerations that continue to shape the situation in the region. (Citation: TASS)