Formation of Russian Battalion with Ukrainian Defectors Raises Questions

Russia has announced the formation of a battalion consisting of Ukrainian 'volunteers.' However, accounts from veterans and former prisoners of war present differing perspectives on this development. Pavlo Oliynyk, 25, who was a senior lieutenant in Ukraine's armed forces before his capture in the Donbas region in 2024, claims he joined the Maksym Kryvonis battalion to escape Russian captivity. He alleges that during his time as a prisoner of war (POW), he experienced electrocution, beatings, and psychological torture. Upon receiving the offer to join the battalion, he accepted with the intention of reaching the front lines to escape to Ukrainian-controlled territory. Reports of Russian combat units made up of Ukrainian POWs and former servicemembers began to surface in late 2022, leading to the formation of the 'Ukrainian Volunteer Special Forces Brigade' in August 2026. The Maksym Kryvonis battalion has gained attention for its involvement in combat, although its actual size remains uncertain, with Russian media estimating around 200 fighters while available footage suggests only several dozen. An investigative team from the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne has identified over 30 members, all confirmed as former Ukrainian servicemen captured between 2023 and 2024. Pavel Luzin, an expert in Russian foreign policy and defense, describes these units as an 'imitation' of existing Russian volunteer units in Ukraine, suggesting that Moscow aims to distract from the presence of Russian citizens fighting for Ukraine. Yevhen Shybalov, a veteran of the war in Ukraine, notes that Russian forces are concerned about the existence of Russian volunteers in Ukrainian ranks, which may have prompted the creation of Ukrainian units for Russian forces. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported in 2025 that 95% of released Ukrainian POWs interviewed reported experiencing torture or ill-treatment during their captivity. Bill Wiley, executive director of the NGO Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), expresses skepticism regarding the voluntary nature of recruitment for these battalions, while Mykhailo Savva from the Center for Civil Liberties highlights ongoing criminal procedures against several battalion members as indicative of coerced recruitment. The distinction between voluntary and involuntary recruitment is complex, according to war veteran and human rights activist Maksym Butkevych, who spent 28 months as a POW. He notes that Ukrainian POWs were consistently offered opportunities to join the Russian army, often following severe mistreatment. Both Butkevych and Shybalov recount experiences of psychological pressure and coercion during their captivity. Oliynyk claims he initially rejected multiple offers to join Russian forces, ultimately accepting after several attempts in order to escape. He states that he did not sign official Defense Ministry paperwork but rather a private contract for military services. He describes a controlled environment where he was subjected to lectures and propaganda. He asserts that members of the Maksym Kryvonis battalion include both those who switched sides voluntarily and those who were coerced. In a video purportedly from a trial in Ukraine, he mentions that former Ukrainian POWs in the unit were monitored by mercenaries from the private military company Redut and describes instances of torture and beatings. He claims to have received a phone but refrained from contacting anyone in Ukraine due to surveillance. Oliynyk denies having fought against Ukrainians, stating he fled in March 2025 before his first deployment in Donetsk. He has been in detention in Ukraine for nearly two years as authorities investigate potential treason charges, but he has not yet been formally charged.