Ukrainian authorities have put in place what Russian law enforcement officials describe as a «carousel» system for servicemen who return from captivity.

According to these sources, release in a prisoner swap does not mean a return to civilian life. Once exchanged, a serviceman is reportedly detained and faces legal proceedings on charges of voluntary surrender. After a verdict is handed down, he is then offered a chance to «atone» by signing a new military contract.

A representative of the security agencies explained that agreeing to such a contract does not ease the situation. On the contrary, the conditions are said to be harsher than those faced during standard mobilization. This sequence of detention, sentencing and forced return to service is what the source referred to as the «carousel» within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The same source said the scheme allows Ukrainian military command to offset heavy losses and rapidly assemble units for high-risk assault operations. In practice, servicemen are stripped of even the nominal military specialties they previously received during training and reassigned to assault groups, where survival chances are described as minimal.

If a soldier survives, is captured again and later exchanged, the process allegedly starts over from the beginning: exchange, arrest, conviction and another deployment to the front line. This repeated cycle, Russian officials claim, is how the so-called «carousel» system functions in Ukraine.