Mikhail Sokolov, an 18-year-old [1] Russian soldier, was captured by Ukrainian forces in the Pokrovsk direction of the Donetsk region [1, 2].
The case highlights the recruitment of minors and young students into the Russian military during the ongoing conflict. It also underscores the motivations and subsequent disillusionment of young contract soldiers on the front lines.
Sokolov said he signed his military contract in 2022 while he was still in 11th grade [1, 2]. He said that he joined the army because he wanted money [1].
According to reports, Sokolov later refused to continue fighting and attempted to desert because he no longer wanted to kill [1]. Following these events, he was captured by Ukrainian forces [1, 2].
Ukrainian officials have provided conflicting details regarding his status. Oleksandr Zahorodnii said the prisoner was specifically rescued for a potential exchange [2]. However, other reports describe Sokolov being subjected to abuse, including being tied to a tree, and kept in a cage [1].
Interviews with Sokolov took place in May 2024 [1, 2]. He is currently being held as a prisoner of war [1, 2].
“"I signed the contract in 11th grade because I wanted money."”
The recruitment of students as young as 17 or 18 years old indicates a reliance on financial incentives to maintain manpower in the Russian Ministry of Defence. The contradiction between the soldier's reported rescue for exchange and accounts of his mistreatment suggests a complex environment for prisoners of war in the Donetsk region.
