An increase in the number of soldiers from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, whom Russians have forced to fight in their army, has been recorded in t

This was stated on Suspilne by Major Vitalii Hlyniianchuk, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 156th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Among other things, he reported a striking number of servicemen from occupied Ukrainian territories within the Russian army.

“We are increasingly observing that the enemy involves residents from temporarily occupied territories in combat operations. According to our estimates, about 40% of Russian Armed Forces personnel are people from occupied Crimea and Zaporizhzhia region”, — Major Vitalii Hlyniianchuk said.

According to him, prisoners from occupied territories say they are recruited into the occupiers’ ranks by coercion or by artificially creating legal problems.

“The so-called occupation police do not hesitate to plant drugs and then give a person a choice: either a long prison term or the ‘special military operation.’ The motivation of such soldiers is low — they go because they are forced”, — Vitalii said.