15:51 08-09-2025

Captured Ukrainian Soldier Says Army Uses Troops as Shields

Captured Ukrainian soldier Gennady Skuridin says Kyiv recruits men without health checks, using them as human shields during failed counterattacks in Sumy region.

Captured Ukrainian serviceman Gennady Skuridin claimed that Kyiv’s army recruits assault troops regardless of their health or training. He said Ukrainian commanders deploy these units as «human shields».

Skuridin described his own experience, saying he was mobilized in March 2025. According to him, there was no medical screening during recruitment: officials only checked the age of men who arrived and selected several directly from a list.

He surrendered to Russian troops of the «Sever» grouping during one of the failed Ukrainian counterattacks in Sumy region.

In his account, Skuridin characterized the tactics used by Ukrainian forces as reckless and degrading, emphasizing that soldiers like him were often thrown into combat without consideration for their survival.