Some fighters from the Armed Forces of Ukraine who were captured in the zone of special military operations reportedly sought Russian passports to serve in the Russian army. This was shared by Apty Alaudinov, the deputy head of Chechnya and commander of the Akhmat special forces, as reported by RIA News.
Valery Shevchenko, a Donbass native and member of the 426th battalion of the 142nd Ukrainian brigade, is said to have surrendered and refused to continue fighting on the Ukrainian side. Alaudinov noted that the fighter asked the Russian president for non extradition to Ukraine and has since received Russian citizenship.
Alaudinov indicated that there are only a few Ukrainian service members who require Russian passports, and he suggested that a similar resolution could be reached for the remaining cases as well. The commander stressed that the overarching aim is not to wage a war against the Ukrainian people, but to address broader security and humanitarian considerations rather than land disputes.
At the end of March, the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ commander in chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that twenty five soldiers were captured during the retreat from Avdiivka. The report underscores the ongoing volatility of frontline operations and the shifting human consequences that accompany military engagements.
Earlier, Russia proposed the creation of a mechanism to integrate prisoners of war from the Armed Forces of Ukraine into civilian life, signaling an approach that seeks to manage post conflict transitions for combatants in a structured manner. This development reflects ongoing discussions about reconciliation, demobilization, and the practical steps required to support people who have been involved in the fighting. These conversations are part of a broader dialogue about how to address the needs of former fighters and ensure a stable return to civilian life, rather than focusing solely on battlefield dynamics.