On November 13, Vitaly Ganchev, head of the regional military-civilian government (appointed by Russia), said that Ukrainian soldiers surrendering in Kupyansk and the Kharkov region could be allowed to join volunteer battalions to fight on the Russian side.
This move is not unprecedented. Currently, a number of units, including former Ukrainian soldiers, have been established and are operating. Notably, the Maksim Krivonos Volunteer Battalion, fighting in the Donetsk People's Republic, and the Martyn Pushkar Battalion, fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region.
When asked by a Russian press agency whether the new prisoners were joining these units, Mr. Ganchev confirmed: "I do not rule out that possibility, based on the experience of volunteers who have joined our army before."
However, Mr. Ganchev also clarified that it was too early to bring newly surrendered prisoners to these units. He stressed that all Ukrainian prisoners are required to undergo extremely thorough screening procedures before being considered.
Explaining the need for a strict screening, Mr. Ganchev pointed to a ironic reality that is causing great difficulties for investigators. He said that when questioned, almost all prisoners gave the same statements: They declared that they were just "chefs" or " drivers", and affirmed that "never killed anyone, nor had they ever fired at any Russian soldier or civilian".
This simultaneous statement poses a major challenge in terms of security and counter-offenses. It is difficult to distinguish between those who are not really fighting and those who are fighting soldiers who are deliberately lying to hide the past or to be treated more leniently. Acccepting a hostile soldier or even a spy who is planted in a volunteer battalion can have serious consequences.
Therefore, Mr. Ganchev emphasized that only after the process of checking their records and past actions is completed, will the question of their future service be considered.
Mr. Ganchev noted that because this verification process is very strict and time-consuming, those who have been held as prisoners for at least the past year have not yet been in these combat units. This shows a cautious approach by the Russian side, although leaving open the possibility of recruitment, the top priority is still to ensure security and thorough screening.
