Ukrainian forces capture Russian conscript, plea for help goes viral
9:04 PM EDT, August 11, 2024
Russian conscripts are often used on the front lines, thrown into the fray without preparation. The Ukrainian army captured one of them during an offensive near Kursk. He addressed his mother in the recording: "I beg you to go everywhere and show this video," he said.
About 900 days ago, the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian armed forces broke through the Russian border, entering the Kursk region. During the operation, they captured many Russian soldiers in various towns.
One of them was a conscript in the 488th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Federation, Vladislav Alexandrovich Kichkov. The young man, born in 2003, was taken prisoner in the Kursk region. Ukrainian soldiers recorded a video with him, quickly spreading on the internet.
Russian soldier captured near Kursk
In the recording, the young soldier directly addressed his mother: "Hi, it's me, Vlad, your son. I was captured. [...] Our general Lapin, the commander of the Kursk direction, just sent us here. He sends conscripts like me to die here like dogs." Kichkov's words convey the desperation and frustration of young soldiers who ended up on the front lines without proper preparation.
"I urge everyone to make sure no one is sent here. Mom, I beg you to cause as much public outrage as possible, go everywhere, show this video. You have no idea, Mom, how badly I want to come home," the 21-year-old said.
Internet users pointed out that young conscripts are being used on the front lines instead of receiving proper military training. The comments emphasize that these young men, who were thrown into the fray without proper preparation, are another resource without much significance to the Russian command.
"In Russia, people have always been a worthless resource. Like a piece of wood that you throw into the fire without thinking about its fate," one user commented.
Others noticed that the 21-year-old does not regret being sent to the front but rather about the lack of proper training. "He doesn't regret being sent to kill innocent people, just that he was sent without preparation and support," "Still no reflection on the war and the fact that they are the aggressors, only regret that he wasn't trained," read the comments.
