Russian POW ‘I called Ukrainian soldiers fascists before they saved my life’ | Life on the frontline

Amid intense frontline combat, a soldier fighting for Russia under the Luhansk People's Republic found himself buried in a bunker and left to freeze to death by his Russian comrades.

After spending two and a half gruelling days trapped underground, not knowing if he would freeze to death, Ukrainian soldiers found and rescued Igor Mikhailovich Trofimenko, 49, and carried him away from constant shelling to safety.

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"Those people [Ukrainian soldiers] we called fascists. They just dug me out at their own risk... Knowing full well they wouldn’t receive anything in return”. Prisoner of war, Mr Trofimenko said in an interview with Vans Without Borders (VWB). A British humanitarian group who deliver essential food and medical supplies to civilians living near the Ukrainian frontline.

Jack Ross is a volunteer aid worker who heads the charity. He and his team have braved countless dangers and travelled along bombed-out roads since March 2022.

They've bought relief to vulnerable people left to starve in the wake of Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

After nearly a year of touring Ukraine distributing aid, VWB has forged contacts within the Ukrainian army and in-country security intelligence, who grant them interviews with some of the most hard-to-reach people.

Mr Trofimenko was given medical assistance as soon as he was delivered to a Ukrainian base and gave consent to be interviewed.

The LPR prisoner claims he became disillusioned with fighting for the Russians long before his capture. Detailing an application to leave the frontline for health reasons, which was denied.

"Following mobilisation, they said we had to serve three months, then half a year and then until further notice." He said.

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