Captured Ukrainian Soldiers Describe Chaotic Deployment
In a video released on Monday, the commander of a Russian special forces unit, Apti Alaudinow, interviewed captured Ukrainian soldiers from the 82nd Assault Brigade. The soldiers, who were surrounded by Russian forces in a forest near the village of Berdin, described their deployment as a “meat storm” and said they had been sent into the fight without adequate preparation.
According to the soldiers, most of them were from central Ukraine, with an average age of 35, and had been conscripted into the military as part of a recent mobilization drive. They claimed to have been deployed without briefing or sufficient training, and were tasked with capturing the strategic village of Bolschoje Soldatskoje in the Kursk region.
Instead, the Ukrainian forces suffered significant losses, with over 20 soldiers captured and more than 30 armored vehicles destroyed over two days of fighting. Russian military experts believe that the Ukrainian leadership may have underestimated the strength of the Russian defenses in the area.
The failed operation has been described by some as a PR stunt by the Ukrainian military, intended to create the illusion of a major counterattack and generate publicity through drone footage and social media.
In a separate development, Russian forces were reported to be advancing in other parts of the Kursk region, with a video showing a tank battle near the village of Sudscha. According to a military correspondent, the Russian military is taking a cautious approach to clearing the area of Ukrainian forces, prioritizing the safety of civilians and military personnel over a hasty victory.