The international delegation, headed by Ana Lucía Bueno, ICRC Public Health Coordinator, and Sujit Panda, Head of the Physical Rehabilitation…
Fighters of the 120th Territorial Defense Brigade captured a Nigerian auto mechanic, Bankoli Machi, who joined the Russian army.
He spoke about his capture and service in the Russian army in a video released by the Third Army Corps.
The Russian army continues recruiting foreign citizens to wage war against Ukraine using the classic scheme of lucrative “employment” contracts.
“This is a documentary by the Third Army Corps and the testimony of Bankoli Machi — an auto mechanic from Nigeria who sought a gold mine in Moscow but became a Russian occupier, and later, as part of a group of Russian mercenaries, was captured by the 120th Territorial Defense Brigade”, — Ukrainian servicemen said.
The protagonist was seeking ways to overcome financial difficulties.
“As soon as he received an offer to work in construction in Russia, he agreed without hesitation. Blinded by the promise of earning 500,000 rubles, Machi and his friend signed a contract without knowing the Russian language or delving into details”, — the Third Corps noted.
Instead of a “Russian dream”, the men encountered camps for foreign mercenaries and service in the ranks of the Russian armed forces. According to Machi, he learned about the full-scale war only after arriving in Russia and did not fully realize that he had ended up in military service until the very end.
During his first combat mission, paired with an associate, he came under fire from a soldier of the 120th Territorial Defense Brigade. His companion was killed, Machi was wounded, and he surrendered without resistance.
He recounted his path from migrant worker to Russian soldier already from captivity.
