Pavlo Oliynyk, a 25-year-old former senior lieutenant in Ukraine’s armed forces, states he joined the Russian-backed Maksym Kryvonis battalion as a tactical move to escape Russian captivity rather than out of ideological alignment. Detained in Ukraine for nearly two years while authorities investigate potential treason, Oliynyk alleges he accepted the offer to reach the front lines with the intention of defecting back to Ukrainian-controlled territory.
Oliynyk reports that during his capture in the Donbas region in 2024, he was subjected to electrocution, beatings, and psychological torture. He claims he only accepted the fourth recruitment offer after persistent pressure, signing a private contract for military services instead of an official Defense Ministry document. According to Oliynyk, he was subsequently subjected to indoctrination sessions and monitored by mercenaries from the Private Military Company Redut.
He denies ever engaging in combat against Ukrainian forces, stating he fled across a field in March 2025 prior to his scheduled deployment in the Donetsk province. After spending two days hiding in basements to evade drone surveillance, he successfully contacted Ukrainian fighters.
The formation of units composed of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and defectors has drawn significant scrutiny. In August 2026, several smaller detachments were consolidated into the Ukrainian Volunteer Special Forces Brigade, which includes the Maksym Kryvonis battalion. While Russian media claims the battalion numbers approximately 200 fighters, available footage suggests a much smaller contingent. An investigative team from the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne has identified over 30 members of the unit, confirming they are all former Ukrainian servicemen captured between 2023 and 2024.
The question of whether these soldiers volunteered or were coerced remains a central point of contention. Yevhen Shybalov, a war veteran and author, describes the units as an imitation of Russian volunteer brigades fighting for Ukraine, suggesting Moscow seeks to counter the narrative of Russians fighting on Ukraine’s side. However, human rights experts express deep skepticism regarding the voluntariness of their participation.
A 2025 report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights found that 95% of released Ukrainian POWs reported suffering torture or ill-treatment during captivity. Bill Wiley, executive director of the Commission for International Justice and Accountability (CIJA), argued that the physical and psychological condition of returned combatants raises serious doubts about voluntary recruitment. Conversely, Mykhailo Savva of the Center for Civil Liberties noted that ongoing criminal proceedings against some battalion members suggest elements of voluntary defection.
Maksym Butkevych, a veteran who endured 28 months as a POW, told DW that recruitment attempts were widespread between 2022 and 2023. He described an environment of constant pressure where captors demonstrated their ability to inflict harm, compelling prisoners to comply. Shybalov corroborated this, noting that prisoners were often interrogated and propositioned under duress, though he emphasized that forcing individuals to pick up weapons required psychological manipulation rather than just physical force.
Oliynyk, who was contacted through his lawyer by DW, maintains that his fellow servicemembers in the Kryvonis battalion included both voluntary switchers and those forced into service. He revealed that during a trial video circulating online, former POWs in the unit were seen receiving monthly wages in envelopes distributed by Russian military intelligence, further complicating the distinction between captive and combatant.
It’s tragic but not surprising. Soldiers will do anything to survive captivity; defection is a human instinct, not treason.
If 95% report torture, how can anyone honestly claim these soldiers were volunteering? The coercion seems undeniable.