{"id":1530,"date":"2026-06-01T17:49:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2026-06-01T17:49:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T21:49:18","slug":"captured-russian-soldier-details-murderous-infighting-in-assault-unit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jakony.com\/frontpage\/video\/captured-russian-soldier-details-murderous-infighting-in-assault-unit\/","title":{"rendered":"Captured Russian Soldier Details Murderous Infighting in Assault Unit"},"content":{"rendered":"

(KHARKIV OBLAST, UKRAINE) \u2013<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0A captured Russian soldier has provided a firsthand account of how his assault unit disintegrated into fatal internal violence, with six men reduced to two without any contact with Ukrainian forces, according to a report published by the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta.<\/span><\/p>\n

The soldier, identified as Daniel, spent two months from 17 February to 17 April 2026 in a Russian infantry assault unit operating in the Kharkiv sector near Vovchansk. He told his story during the first five days of his captivity after surrendering to Ukrainian troops. Daniel began his service as an artillery man. Nobody wants to start in assault units. Neither did Daniel. However, after getting into arguments with his chain of command, he was transferred into the infantry.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It was scary to end up in the 82nd Infantry Regiment. Everyone talked about it as a place where people were sent supposedly as punishment. If you did not follow orders, if you did not obey, they would tell you, ‘Watch out. You are going to the 82nd, going to Vochk.’ And that is where I ended up,” Daniel said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The specific area where Daniel fought was the Hatyshche area in northeastern Ukraine. He described crossing a river in Russian held territory, which marked the point where everything began to fall apart. The process began at a deployment point where soldiers were held in a bunker. They filled out forms about their family and next of kin. Daniel was part of a group of ten men, loosely guarded but watched the entire time. After about a week, they received sudden notice. “It is time to go. Leave your stuff,” they were told. The soldiers were moved under guard on a quad bike to the first release point.<\/span><\/p>\n

There was no mission briefing or outline of objectives. The men were simply given points on a map without knowing why they were going or what to expect. The reporter asked Daniel why he did not turn his weapon on the guards and attempt escape. He explained it was not an option because one is under guard only until the first release point, after which one is alone, dodging Ukrainian drones.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel outlined the standard supplies issued for an assault. “We were given everything we needed for the attack. This is the standard for an assault. Worn but washed clothes in any size. Some clothes in a backpack and some boots simply tied to the backpack. Spare clothes were not in bags. When we crossed the river, they all got wet.” Soldiers also received a dry ration, a standard daily one, divided between two people. One soldier received a gas burner and the other two gas cylinders. Each soldier received three one and a half litre bottles of water, two grenades, an automatic rifle, three magazines, and loose ammunition. The backpacks were already packed. Each pair was given a standard set of items, with the older soldier carrying an extension cable for the radio antenna and the younger soldier carrying extra batteries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daniel described attempting to move between rally points at night. “We were walking at night under the blankets, the anti drone blankets. Then we heard something flying overhead, a Mavic, Baba Yaga, maybe. I reported over the radio that I thought I saw Baba Yaga and they said, ‘Sit tight.’ We were sitting under the trees practically next to each other and something hit my grandfather ripping off something, a leg or an arm. I do not know. It exploded loudly and I got a small piece of shrapnel on my leg. I got scared and ran away from those drones.” Grandpa was the call sign of his partner, a man estimated to be 50 or 55 years old. Daniel left him behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Resupply was conducted entirely by drone. FPV drones would fly into a position without an explosive charge and crash, scattering supplies. “Usually they would send out square packets of porridge, rice, stew, etc., but they would break upon landing. The impact when the drone falls was very strong. One drone could carry a can of stew, two rollons, four chocolate bars, a power bank, and a square packet of porridge, plus cigarettes.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Eventually Daniel received radio directions giving the coordinates of a house he was to occupy. “It was really scary. You did not know where you were going or why you were going,” he said. He found one other soldier and they moved to the location. By the time they arrived, they began scavenging for supplies, uncertain whether they would be there for a night, a week, a month, or simply be forgotten.<\/span><\/p>\n

They soon encountered more Russian soldiers, bringing their total to six: Daniel, SA, Amelia, Sha, Kit, and Schmemell. Within days, six became two without a single engagement with Ukrainian forces. The group found a huge bottle of homemade wine, became drunk, and began playing music on the radio and yelling. Sha started arguing with Schmemell and then with Kit. SA killed Sha. When asked why, Daniel explained that Sha had previously bragged about killing his own partner. SA figured he would be next and decided to kill Sha before Sha killed him.<\/span><\/p>\n

Schmemell then told Daniel that Amelia needed to be taken care of, as he was Sha’s partner. Daniel said, “I do not know what happened there. I was sleeping at the time. I woke up to the sound of machine gun fire.” The group was now down to four. A few days later, SA was upset that Kit was not helping with cooking or gathering supplies. SA, drunk, killed Kit while attempting to hand a machine gun to Schmemell. The group was now down to three.<\/span><\/p>\n

“So it turns out we had to kill SA,” Daniel stated matter of factly. SA had been threatening the others and started shooting randomly in a drunken stupor. He was killed, leaving only Schmemell and Daniel. Six men had become two.<\/span><\/p>\n

The last week was the worst. “We practically ate nothing. We intercepted our packages. Then the bad weather set in. We had to collect rainwater to drink it. In general, they could not drop food on us there. Your groups, the Ukrainians, kept intercepting us.” They were sent three grenades but no additional weapons, as there was no way to deliver them using an FPV drone. When a Ukrainian unit arrived, Daniel and Schmemell surrendered.<\/span><\/p>\n