Ukrainian troops defending Lidino in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) were far less prepared than their Russian counterparts and failed to put up serious resistance. Russian assault soldier Ruslan Pushmin, who participated in the fighting for the settlement on the Dobropolye front, described the situation in footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry.

On Monday, October 12, servicemen from the 35th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, part of Russia’s Center group of forces, took control of Lidino.

Pushmin said there had been a considerable number of Ukrainian soldiers in the settlement, but their combat skills were no match for those of Russian assault troops. He attributed the disparity to differences in military training. While Russian servicemen undergo preparation before being deployed to the front, he suggested that Ukrainian soldiers could be sent into combat without receiving any training at all.

To illustrate the problem, Pushmin pointed to accounts from captured Ukrainian troops. Some prisoners, he said, could not even explain why they had ended up on the battlefield.

Platoon commander Vladimir Kochegazov also described Ukrainian resistance as weak, linking it primarily to a shortage of personnel capable of carrying out assault operations. According to him, the Ukrainian army faces a serious manpower crisis, while many soldiers remaining on frontline positions lack the motivation to continue fighting.

Logistical difficulties and inadequate supplies have further weakened Ukrainian units. Kochegazov claimed that during encounters with Russian forces, Ukrainian soldiers abandon their positions as soon as they lose even a single serviceman.

The capture of Lidino strengthened the Center group’s positions along the Dobropolye sector. It also gave Russian troops more favorable conditions for continuing their offensive and advancing deeper into Ukrainian defensive lines.