Three Russian commanders killed as another begs for forgiveness

High-ranking Russian troops have been killed during the recapture of a Ukraine city as a senior Russian POW says he was “brainwashed” .

Three Russian commanders were killed during the recapture of the city of Chuhuiv in the Ukraine, a defence official claims.

Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala said the high-ranking officials were among many Russian fighters killed when Ukraine took back control of the Kharkiv city, one of the first to be seized by Vladimir Putin’s forces.

“In the course of hostilities, the city of Chuhuiv was liberated,” the General said on Facebook, The Sun reports.

“The occupiers suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment.

“Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov, Commander of the 61st Seperate Marine Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, and Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov, Deputy Commander of the 11th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, were killed.”

Russian Lieutenant Colonel Denis Glebov was killed in the war. Picture: Twitter

Russian Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Safronov also lost his life. Picture: Twitter

Commander Konstantin Zizevsky died in Ukraine too. Picture: Twitter

It comes as one of the most senior Russian commanders captured in Ukraine has begged for forgiveness in a POW video released by Kyiv.

National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Astakhov Dmitry Mikhailovich, who was captured along with two other soldiers, pleaded for “mercy” in a televised address, adding Ukraine may never forgive Russia.

“I cannot find the words to say sorry to the Ukrainian people,” the prisoner of war said.

“I feel shame that we came to this country,” he added. “I don’t know why we were doing it. We knew very little. We brought sorrow to this land.”

The video emerged after the special response unit team commander was captured during fighting in the early days of the invasion.

This, out of #Ukraine, is 100% one of the most incredible videos I have ever seen.

This Russian POW has the heart of a lion 🦁 pic.twitter.com/KIx1rsN0CZ

— Jackie Singh 🇺🇦 🇺🇸 (@hackingbutlegal) March 6, 2022

Dmitry, believed to be one of the most senior Russians to speak out against the war, said he was “speaking freely” and hadn’t been pressured or intimidated by Ukraine.

But the steady flow of Russian captives being filmed speaking against the war is leading to concerns of violations of the Geneva Conventions that protect prisoners of war against “insults and public curiosity”.

Human Rights Watch European Media Director Andrew Stroehlein said on Twitter that “humiliating or making POWs a subject of public curiosity or ridicule is strictly prohibited by the laws of war”.

Captured Russian pilot. Picture: Supplied.

Captured Russian pilot. Picture: Supplied.

“Although it may seem in some videos that POWs are free to speak as they wish, they are held captive by another military force, and it’s almost impossible to judge from one video the conditions they face,” he added.

“These rules apply equally to #Ukrainian forces that capture Russian soldiers, and #Russian forces that capture Ukrainian soldiers.”

Short thread on prisoners of war. Please share.

👉 Humiliating or making POWs a subject of public curiosity or ridicule is strictly prohibited by the laws of war. #Ukraine

— Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) March 3, 2022

The Russian commander, speaking before a media conference, became emotional as he described the embarrassment of his fellow soldiers who “do not want war”.

He added they had been lied to by the Russian government and “unilateral” media and were surprised by the sudden invasion, that they were told was to free Ukraine from a “fascist Nazi regime”.

“Of course, we have internet, sometimes we get something from other sources. We had some doubts. We did not know the situation for sure,” he said.

“Some do not even have internet … They have no alternative. They are constantly brainwashed.”

He said his doubts at the legitimacy of the war were confirmed when discovering his two favourite boxers, Oleksandr Usyk and Vasiliy Lomachenko, who planned to fight for the Ukrainian resistance.

“I personally, just when we entered this territory, when I watched the address of the professional boxers – your boxers – back home I always loved watching them.

“Usyk and Lomachenko, they are my favourite, I mean that when I say it. These people are just ready to take arms, and they said: ‘We didn’t call you here.’

“Maybe I really deserved to learn this lesson, so I could finally see and try to tell it to those who are in Russia. They do not realise what is happening here,” he added.

“I just sincerely hope for your mercy towards those people who come to you with their hands up, or those who are wounded. We should not sow death. It’s better to sow life.”

Originally published as Three Russian commanders killed as another begs for forgiveness