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"A Year in Captivity Is Harder Than Three Years in the First" | AZOV SOLDIERS WHO HAVE BEEN HELD CAPTIVE BY RUSSIA TWICE.
Source: Journalist Ramina Eskhakzay’s
YouTube channel Author: Ramina Eskhakzay
Fighters from the Azov Brigade who were taken prisoner by Russia twice—in a new episode on the “RAMINA” YouTube channel. What were the conditions like for Ukrainian soldiers in 2014 and during the full-scale invasion?
Chudik, the head of the Azov Corps’ medical service, spent nearly four years in captivity. He first fell into the hands of the occupiers in 2015 during the battles for Shyrokyne, and a second time in 2022, after leaving Azovstal. Muk spent over two years in captivity, passing through filtration camps and Russian prisons. The first time was after his evacuation from Ilovaisk—known in pro-Russian media as the “Ilovaisk Cauldron”—and the second time was after the battles for Mariupol.
The new episode features testimonies about detention conditions, psychological pressure, torture, filtration procedures, coercion, daily life in the colonies, and personal stories of survival. “Chudik” and “Muk” discuss the realities of captivity, the experience of returning home, the challenges facing veterans, rehabilitation, rethinking life, and the future of Ukraine.
During the conversation, “Chudik” spoke about his two periods of captivity, his experience as a combat medic, and how the state should act during periods of “lull” between phases of the war. “Muk” spoke about reintegration, family, values, and society’s role and responsibility toward military personnel.
How did you manage to survive while sharing a barracks with 200 people in Olenivka? Which specific tattoos did the Russians beat you for? And why did the reaction to the annexation of Crimea serve as the first warning sign for the Russians before the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war?
Watch the in-depth interview with fighters from the Azov Brigade, who were held captive by the Russians twice, on journalist Ramina Eskhakhzai’s YouTube channel.
If you’d prefer to watch the video with subtitles in another language, go to YouTube Settings → Subtitles → Auto-translate and select the language of your choice.
YouTube channel Author: Ramina Eskhakzay
Fighters from the Azov Brigade who were taken prisoner by Russia twice—in a new episode on the “RAMINA” YouTube channel. What were the conditions like for Ukrainian soldiers in 2014 and during the full-scale invasion?
Chudik, the head of the Azov Corps’ medical service, spent nearly four years in captivity. He first fell into the hands of the occupiers in 2015 during the battles for Shyrokyne, and a second time in 2022, after leaving Azovstal. Muk spent over two years in captivity, passing through filtration camps and Russian prisons. The first time was after his evacuation from Ilovaisk—known in pro-Russian media as the “Ilovaisk Cauldron”—and the second time was after the battles for Mariupol.
The new episode features testimonies about detention conditions, psychological pressure, torture, filtration procedures, coercion, daily life in the colonies, and personal stories of survival. “Chudik” and “Muk” discuss the realities of captivity, the experience of returning home, the challenges facing veterans, rehabilitation, rethinking life, and the future of Ukraine.
During the conversation, “Chudik” spoke about his two periods of captivity, his experience as a combat medic, and how the state should act during periods of “lull” between phases of the war. “Muk” spoke about reintegration, family, values, and society’s role and responsibility toward military personnel.
How did you manage to survive while sharing a barracks with 200 people in Olenivka? Which specific tattoos did the Russians beat you for? And why did the reaction to the annexation of Crimea serve as the first warning sign for the Russians before the start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war?
Watch the in-depth interview with fighters from the Azov Brigade, who were held captive by the Russians twice, on journalist Ramina Eskhakhzai’s YouTube channel.
If you’d prefer to watch the video with subtitles in another language, go to YouTube Settings → Subtitles → Auto-translate and select the language of your choice.
This is an automatic translation generated by DeepL.