Why are Ukrainian prisoners fighting in a Russian battalion?

Key Points:

• Pavlo Oliynyk, a former Ukrainian senior lieutenant captured by Russian forces in 2024, joined the Russian-aligned Maksym Kryvonis battalion to escape harsh captivity, including electrocuting, beatings, and psychological torture.
• Russian combat units composed mainly of Ukrainian POWs and former Ukrainian servicemen, such as the Maksym Kryvonis battalion, emerged in late 2022 and were consolidated into the "Ukrainian Volunteer Special Forces Brigade" by 2026, though their true size and voluntariness remain unclear.
• Experts and Ukrainian intelligence view these units as a Russian attempt to mimic Ukrainian volunteer units made up of Russian citizens, aiming to distract from the reality of forced recruitment and the reluctance of Ukrainians to fight for Russia.
• Reports indicate that most Ukrainian POWs faced torture and coercion in captivity, casting doubt on the voluntary nature of their recruitment; psychological pressure and threats were commonly used to force compliance rather than genuine consent.
• After joining, POWs in these units reportedly faced continued control, surveillance, and mistreatment, with some like Oliynyk managing to escape before deployment; he is currently detained in Ukraine pending investigation for possible treason.