Osechkin's interview with Ukrainian drone pilot and Russian soldier whose life was saved on May 9th
The special rescue operation of the enemy soldier illustrates the Ukrainian military's humane and moral approach to the war, despite the constant Russian war crimes and atrocities.
The published interview on YouTube is in Russian - you can read the main highlights translated into English below.
Osechkin's interview with Ukrainian drone pilot who saved Russian conscript Anitin on May 9th by leading him to surrender through Wagner gunfire and artillery. Also, interview with Ruslan Anitin himself. Must-watch for Russian speakers.
Below translation of the livestream
The Russian conscript in the same trench who ended up killing himself with a grenade after being injured by a Ukrainian drone was initially trying to shoot down the drone, so the decision drop the grenade on him was made.
Anitin used sign language and devised a communication method with the Ukrainian drones, for example - one flash of light is Yes, two flashes - No.
Ukrainians always have multiple drones in the air, so they were able to continue communication throughout the evacuation even when one drone would lose battery charge. During the rescue operation, one Ukrainian drone was lost to Wagner's artillery aimed at Anitin.
Here's the rescue footage for those unfamiliar. This happened on May 9th in the Bakhmut area.
https://twitter.com/igorsushko/status/1656782046239547392
Russian soldier Ruslan Anitin successfully surrendered to a Ukrainian drone while under fire from Russian artillery for desertion. https://pic.twitter.com/zeRnuBwnWM
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Ukrainian drone pilot says they have a concrete rule not to drop explosives on Russian soldiers who are unarmed and do not exhibit aggressive actions.
He is familiar with situations where a Russian soldier would feint surrender to the Ukrainians, and then another Russian soldier starts ambushes and starts shooting and killing Ukrainian soldiers from the rear.
Ukraine uses drones to communicate with Russian units once they're surrounded by Ukrainian soldiers to give them an opportunity to surrender.
The Ukrainian drone pilot is not a professional soldier. He is a civilian business owner. He went to military enlistment on Feb 24th 2022.
Up next is an interview with the Russian soldier Ruslan Anitin rescued by the Ukrainian drone team in the Bakhmut area.
Before being mobilized by Russia, Ruslan Anitin was an inspector of the security department of a Russian prison, Penal Colony No. 3 of the Pskov Region. 2015-2022.
Anitin arrived in Bakhmut either on May 6 or 7. Wagner mercenaries did not talk much, but gave the Russian mobilized soldiers orders. The Russian army command ordered the mobilized to subordinate themselves to Wagner.
They were with Wagner units '16' and '17'. Evening of May 8th, his army commander said 3 people need to assume positions. Lieutenant Gruzintsev. Age is early 40s.
One Wagner mercenary assumed command of the 3 mobilized and led them to the trench, and told them they'll be shot if they retreat. Osechkin is stunned how 3 soldiers with assault rifles allowed themselves to be ordered around and threatened by one lone Wagner terrorist.
It took them around 1.5 hours to reach the trench on the night of May 8th under mortar fire. No night vision. The other two who killed themselves in the trench: Dmitry Ivanov and Viktor.
In the trench, Anitin saw countless dead bodies of Russian soldiers, some as minced meat. Some bodies were clearly weeks old. Anitin was armed with a helmet and an AK-47. No binoculars.
The bodies were piled on each other in the trench. At least 30-40 bodies. Some were "half of bodies." He saw bodies of Wagner mercenaries as well as Ukrainian soldiers.
Russian soldiers sent to the front have to remove the Russian flag chevron from the uniform.
All 3 of them were injured by the Ukrainian drones dropping explosives on May 9. Once one shot himself and the other blew himself up with a grenade, Anitin realized he had no way out of the situation.
There was no cover in the trench and Anitin knew he'd be shot by his own Russians if he were to try to retreat. After getting injured, Dmitry blew himself up with a grenade and Viktor shot himself.
Osechkin asks Anitin: Today is May 13th, how is it that you are alive today after all of that? Anitin: They radioed the Russians that they were all injured and the response was radio silence. Dmitry ran by Anitin and then a drone dropped an explosive hitting Dmitry's spine.
After both other soldiers killed themselves - Once Anitin saw the drone, he began to try to signal the drone not to drop any explosives. He realized the drone responded by moving away. He lit up a cigarette and then the drone returned and dropped a note to surrender.
Anitin has a child and wife. 4 year old daughter. No parents. Anitin tells them he loves them very much and wants to return to them. He thanks Osechkin for the opportunity.
Osechkin asks about how Anitin established communication using sign language with the drone. He was concerned he could be shot or tortured if he were to surrender. He asked the drone to flash once for Yes and twice for No. The drone responded in the negative.
Osechkin: Where did the idea that Ukrainians would kill or torture prisoners of war? Anitin: Russian commanders told them that is what happens to Russian POWs in Ukrainian hands.
Osechkin: When you were following the drone, did you realize it was the Russians trying to kill him with machine guns and artillery? Anitin: Not immediately, but then realized the mortar fire was coming from behind him - the Russian side.
Anitin realized it was the "Not one step back" policy of the Russian army. He thinks it was about 2 magazines from assault rifles, one full tape from a machine gun, and several mortars.
His trust in the Ukrainian drone did not change, and was desperate to get away from the Russian side, and had about 20-25 meters to the Ukrainian trench. Once he got there, the Ukrainian soldiers immediately took him to cover.
It was a sudden shift in that he clearly became an enemy of the Russian army, and they were doing everything to try to kill him before he could get to the safety of the Ukrainian trench.
Anitin has no idea of the objective of sending 3 mobilized to the trench. They wouldn't have been able to offer any resistance to the Ukrainians. He believes his army command knew that they'll all die very quickly.
Anitin believes Russia shouldn't have ever started the war, but it's not up to the people. It is a war forced upon the Russian people by those in power.
Anitin addresses Putin: Such questions should be addressed through compromise and negotiations. The war should be ended.
Osechkin: What did Dmitry and Viktor die for? Anitin: They died because they were told to.
Anitin believes sending them to the trench was a criminal order if the command knew they faced certain death.
Anitin understands he is now an enemy of the people back in Russia but wants to eventually return home and live life as he did before the war.
Anitin doesn't want to discuss his government's approach to treating him as a criminal because he thinks any government would act the same in this kind of situation.
Anitin wants to be exchanged back to Russia. Osechkin: After such an exchange, what if we see you on Russian propaganda with made up claims of Ukrainians torturing him and so on? Anitin: The Ukrainian reception has been exemplary and he's been treated very well.
There were a multitude of conscious decisions made by the Ukrainian command: Not to drop a grenade on him Guide him to safety Humane treatment Anitin expresses his gratitude to the Ukrainian drone operator, the command, and the Ukrainian soldiers who received him at the trench.
Anitin spent about 8 months on the Russian occupied territories of Ukraine before his miraculous surrender. Osechkin: Have you seen the "fascists" and "Nazists" in Ukraine the Russian propaganda speaks of? Anitin: In his time he never saw any indication.
Anitin's message to all Russians: Think with your head. Message to Ukrainians, since Anitin came on their land with an assault rifle, and despite that, the Ukrainians saved his life: I'm very sorry and he probably did have a choice, but he didn't accept it at the time.
Anitin commits to going to prison in Russia if he is pressured to pick up an assault rifle again to fight in Ukraine after a possible POW exchange.
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That was a lot of effort on the Ukrainian side to save one Russian life. Says a lot about values