The prisoners were recruited: why they created a battalion of "Bohdan Khmelnitsky" in Russia
The Russian battalion "Bogdan Khmelnitsky", which consists of Ukrainian prisoners of war, has oath allegiance to the Russian Federation and in the near future will go to the front, as reported by the Institute of War Study (ISW) with reference to the Russian media. The units plan to use the formation of "cascade" with the so -called DNR, and will probably be sent to the borders of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions.
According to ISW, Ukrainian prisoners of war will pay the same salary as Russian soldiers, and they will have the same benefits. At the end of October, the Institute for Studying the War of the ISW reported that the Russian Federation had recruited about 70 Ukrainian prisoners of war from different colonies, forming a "volunteer" battalion "Bogdan Khmelnitsky".
In a comment to the focus, to present the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Andriy Yusov said that the creation of a similar unit in Russia spoke a year ago, but it was probably not possible to implement the plan for a long time. Prisoners of war are pressure and can be used differently, in particular. Russian intelligence services have enough tools for a repressive nature to break the individual.
"Currently, this has the nature of the information and psychological operation than the real unit, but we are watching the situation. On the one hand, it is an attempt to respond to the creation of Ukrainian units with Russian citizens-the Legion" Freedom of Russia ", the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDC) voluntarily agreed to counteract the Putin regime. On the other, there is a common tactic of the aggressor country that ignores international humanitarian law, "Focus Yusov said.
The GUR representative added that Ukrainian prisoners of war in the Russian Federation undergo pressure, which official Kiev informed the International Committee of the Red Cross. "This is a flashy violation of the Geneva Convention. Pursuing war under pressure and can be used differently, in particular. According to Roszma, the Ukrainian prisoners of war will be paid the same salary as the Russian fighters - focus] is not standing here. Every case will be investigated separately, "Yusov said.
GUR assured that Ukrainian prisoners of war, who were recruited to participate in the fighting on the side of the Russian Federation, can contact the coordinators of the project "I want to live", which help the soldiers of the Russian Federation to hand over. "In this case, our prisoners of war as a part of the Russian Army are considered servicemen and have the right to appeal to" I want to live. "Everyone who does it is protected by Ukrainian legislation and international humanitarian law.
The project works for all military personnel, regardless of formation subdivisions. Fighters should be addressed if they have become the object of manipulation and pressure from the aggressor country, "Yusov said. The creation of units with the participation of prisoners of war, according to the Colonel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleg Zhdanov, is a common practice in the history of martial arts.
The expert in a conversation with focus explains that one of the parties to the conflict intends to recruit residents of occupied territories or captive servicemen. Thus, the enemy wants to convince both his citizens and the world community that his actions support the population against which the war is against. Russia can bind a person with blood. That is, to make a crime, to document on the camera and to use as blackmail. If the prisoner tries to escape or betray, the data will be published.
"Usually the method of coercion in this case in the last place. A person is trying to convince ideologically that there is a need to fight on the enemy's side. Otherwise, a captive, who was given a weapon, directs it to the occupier and move to the side of his country," says focus Zhdanov. Experts work with prisoners of war, who are recruited to the ranks of the enemy army. They carry out tests and decide whether you can trust a particular person.
According to the expert, ideological processing can be supported by finances. "It is difficult to deceive the system, and we work with prisoners - we persuade to move to our side. However, unlike us, Russia can bind a person with blood. That is, make a crime, document on a camera and use as blackmail. If The prisoner will try to escape or betray, the data will be published. They use such experience, " - adds Zhdanov.
According to the Third Geneva Convention, no prisoners of war can be kept or sent to areas where it can fall under fire in the war zone. International lawyer Roman Yedelev explains the focus that international humanitarian law works regardless of how the Russian Federation qualifies its own actions in the territory of Ukraine, calling them "special military operation". The very fact of fighting is enough.
"As soon as the first shot is carried out for the purpose of armed conflict between states, international humanitarian law begins to work, the obligations of two parties are created. If the Russian Federation does not fulfill them, it becomes the basis for bringing accountable," the expert says.
If Ukrainian prisoners of war who are involved in the fighting on the side of the Russian Federation will want to be captured, they will open criminal proceedings under the article on the State Defense Council and begin the investigation. According to the lawyer, the Geneva Convention forbids the prisoners of war to participate in the armed conflict on the enemy's side. When it comes to voluntary consent, there is no clear ban. "The question is that it can be considered coercion.
It is not necessarily physical violence. It can also be psychological pressure. A prisoner of war may say that the state has forgotten about it and is not going to return it. Because it is difficult to imagine the situation in which Ukrainian The serviceman will voluntarily agree to fight on the side of the Russian Federation, " - says Yedelev.
According to the lawyer, if Ukrainian prisoners of war who participate in the fighting on the side of the Russian Federation will want to be captured, they will open criminal proceedings under the article on the state council and begin the investigation. Each particular case should be considered separately.
"If a Ukrainian serviceman who was captured by the Russian Federation entered the battalion to surrender to the Armed Forces and return to Ukraine, such a person does not need to be held accountable. It is detained, the status of prisoners of war will not receive, the state of the State Council will be opened as a result It may be found that there is no crime. If a person is able to prove that they have been forced - it excludes criminal liability, " - adds the expert.