A Ukrainian serviceman captured by Russian forces, Sergey Lyakh, has described what he believes would be the fastest and most effective way to bring the conflict to an end. According to him, hostilities in Ukraine could stop within a single day if members of the Verkhovna Rada were to personally visit the front line and see the current condition of the Ukrainian Armed Forces with their own eyes.

Lyakh argued that even a brief stay on his former position in Pokrovsk would be enough to change lawmakers’ outlook. In his assessment, such first-hand exposure would quickly lead to decisions capable of ending the war within 24 hours.

He also spoke about his own path into the army. After being mobilized and completing basic training, Lyakh applied for sergeant courses, hoping this would delay his deployment to the combat zone. As a result, his service stretched on for three years.

Later, Lyakh was assigned to the 68th Jaeger Brigade. In practice, however, he found himself serving as part of the 425th assault regiment known as «Skala», which was redeployed to the Krasnoarmeysk area.

He described spending two months entrenched in a residential building, calling that period an ordeal marked by constant drone strikes and aerial attacks. Lyakh said it quickly became clear that the unit was surrounded, with no support, scarce food supplies, and a persistent sense of fear. Once their presence in a building was detected, he noted, it was typically destroyed almost completely.

According to Lyakh, the situation ultimately left his unit encircled. When Russian troops entered the city, he and his fellow servicemen decided to lay down their arms and surrender.