Ivan from Vawkavysk went to war to avoid a Russian prison. He didn't think that "it's just a nightmare there"

Ivan Annenkov. Screenshot from video: osbbelpol / YouTube

Ivan Annenkov left Belarus back in 2012. He settled in the city of Balashikha near Moscow, where he got married and worked as an electrician. His mother and sister remained in Belarus.

His life changed after a street conflict. For inflicting grievous bodily harm during a fight, the man was sentenced to five years in prison.

While in a Russian prison, he received an offer to sign a contract to participate in the war. The main incentives, as Ivan claims, were the promise of freedom and the opportunity to stay in Russia, because according to the law, after serving his sentence, he was supposed to be deported to Belarus as a foreign citizen with a criminal record.

"Representatives of various military enlistment offices came – from the Moscow region, from Yaroslavl. There were a lot of them. (...) They promised removal of his criminal record and Russian citizenship," the Belarusian recalls.

In addition to freedom, there was also financial motivation – under the contract, he was paid 700 thousand Russian rubles – almost 10 thousand dollars. At the same time, the recruiters assured him that convicted individuals would not be sent directly into battle.

"I didn't think that everything was so harsh in the SMO (Special Military Operation). They said that you wouldn't be on the front lines, you'd be somewhere in maintenance. They said, 'You're convicts, they won't give you weapons'," the man recounts.

For about 20 days, Ivan underwent initial military training in a special unit staffed by convicts. According to him, there were many migrants among them – Uzbeks and Tajiks. There were also five or six Belarusians among them.

After short training, he was sent to the first line of the Lyman direction of the front. According to the man, two other Belarusians served with him (he doesn't know their names, only their call signs). One of them definitely died, the other went missing.

According to the man, he signed the contract on August 7, and was captured on November 26. He doesn't name the year, but it was probably 2025. During all this time, he was sent on combat missions three times.

"Mostly it was 'holding positions'. That is, we were sent to a position, we had to fortify and stay there, wait, and report by radio what was happening around," Ivan says, asserting that he personally did not kill anyone.

"The first time I went on a mission, I somehow didn't take it seriously. That is, there was no fear at first. But then, when I was already wounded, ended up in the hospital, returned a second time, a third, I already understood that it's just a nightmare there. That is, you are fighting against drones. You walk, you don't see the enemy, you are simply being destroyed," the mercenary shares his impressions.

The man does not describe the circumstances of his capture, noting that he was lucky to stay alive, "because the chances of survival are very small."

Ivan says that he inquired about possible criminal liability in Belarus for mercenary activities, calling acquaintances who "went to the military enlistment office, the police department."

"They went, inquired. They say that nothing will happen to you. If you were fighting for the Ukrainians, you would be convicted. But since you are fighting for Russia, nothing will happen," the man recounts.

Now, while in captivity, the man urges his compatriots not to believe the recruiters' promises:

"Think a thousand times before signing a contract. Look at what's happening here. These are not toys, this is war and people are being killed here. And there are few chances of survival."

• 0
• 1
• 6
• 8
• 0
• 0
• 8
• 0