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Russian soldiers who surrendered to Ukraine fear they may be shot by firing squad back home

Russian troops who have been taken prisoners after surrendering in Ukraine said that they are possibly facing a firing squad when they return home

Russian troops who have been taken prisoners after surrendering in Ukraine are possibly facing a firing squad when they return home.

A Kremlin soldier who surrendered to Ukrainian forces revealed that a funeral has already been "arranged for him" back home in Russia. The morale of Russian troops has suffered in the face of resistance since Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Soldiers broke down in tears as they told their captors they had no idea where or why they were being sent. Now, there are growing fears that they face being shot to death at the behest of their commanding officers when they return home to Russia, according to The Telegraph.

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"In Russia, we are already considered dead," a soldier from the 2nd Motor Rifle Division said at a press conference in Kyiv. “I was given the opportunity to call my parents and they told me that a funeral for me had already been arranged. If we are exchanged, then we will be shot by our own people."

Heartrending videos of sobbing Russian soldiers have flooded the internet as they claim they had no idea what they were dealing with in Ukraine. Troops were also heard in intercepted radio messages disobeying orders from Moscow to bomb Ukrainian targets and complaining about running out of food and fuel. One of the recordings, obtained by British intelligence company ShadowBeak, includes a soldier who appears to be crying. Another footage sees a soldier lose his temper while asking when food or fuel will arrive. Yet another recording shows the moment a surrendered Russian soldier sobs as Ukrainians feed him and help him call his mother.

MEAWW previously reported how a viral video showed a group of Russian soldiers in tears after being taken prisoners, as they claimed they had no idea about being deputed into an active warzone. They revealed that they were used like "cannon fodder" by senior commanders who are waging war against "peaceful people defending their territory". "This is not our war. Mothers and wives, collect your husbands. There is no need to be here," an injured soldier shared. 

A few days ago, another Russian soldier sent a haunting final text to his mother, moments before he died in the war. As the soldier's mother asked him where he was, he told her, "I just want to hang myself now." He further added, “Mom, I’m in Ukraine. There is a real war raging here. I am afraid. We are bombing all of the cities, together. Even targeting civilians." He emotionally mentioned, "We were told that they would welcome us and they are falling under our armored vehicles, throwing themselves under the wheels and not allowing us to pass. They call us fascists. Mama, this is so hard.”

Ukrainians claim to have killed more than 12,000 Russian troops since the invasion began on February 24. Recent footage showed a column of Russian tanks being destroyed by a Ukrainian ambush near Kyiv. The attack is said to have killed yet another senior Russian commander, identified by Ukraine's defense ministry as Colonel Andrei Zakharov, as troops continued to close in on the capital city. So far, at least three Russian generals have been killed in the conflict, with one Kremlin insider describing the "special military operation" as a "clusterf**k", The Sun reported.