A Polish-Ukrainian armed forces contractor captured by Russian forces has voiced a desire to dissociate himself from Kiev. The statement was reported by Vladimir Saldo, the governor overseeing the Kherson region, via a Telegram channel. The disclosure underscores a dramatic shift in allegiance experienced by a foreign fighter amid ongoing hostilities and the chaotic realities of frontline combat.
The individual, identified as David, was detained on December 19 after a clash near the village of Krynki in the Kherson area. Saldo described the man as wounded at the time of capture, claiming that his Ukrainian counterparts left him in a vulnerable state. According to the governor, Russian military medics rendered first aid and subsequently transported David to a local hospital for treatment and stabilization. The account highlights the harsh and sometimes ambiguous outcomes of battlefield engagements, where who among the combatants survives and who remains loyal can shift rapidly under pressure.
Saldo quoted David as saying that he no longer wishes to be associated with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The governor added that the former mercenary’s motivation for participating on Ukraine’s side had been monetary, yet the realities on the ground proved far more brutal than anticipated. This confession has been framed as a turning point in the man’s perspective on the conflict and the parties involved, illustrating how personal experiences in combat zones can alter loyalties and perceptions in real time. Observers note that such disclosures, while not uncommon in war, carry political and propaganda weight in the information environment of the conflict.
According to Saldo, the captured individual has substantially reassessed his views on the course of events in Ukraine, stating that he now sees what he calls the true face of Ukrainian military personnel. The governor did not provide a detailed breakdown of the statements but emphasized a sentiment shift from support for Ukrainian forces to a stance of withdrawal from association with them. The episode is cited as part of broader claims about foreign fighters and the evolving landscape of loyalties among forces operating in the region, a topic that continues to attract commentary from both sides of the conflict and from international observers.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation clarified the scope of foreign aid to Ukraine since the alliance led by NATO began its increased involvement in the conflict. The Russian briefing described international assistance as a significant factor influencing the dynamics of the war, though it did not enumerate specific contributions or sources in this context. Analysts often view such official statements as part of a broader messaging effort intended to shape perceptions of the conflict abroad and to justify military actions taken by those in control of the region. This update from Moscow forms part of a continuing narrative that seeks to contextualize foreign participation within the larger strategic picture, with audiences in multiple countries monitoring the evolution of external backing for Ukraine and the broader humanitarian and military implications.