EXCLUSIVE: Russian Soldier Speaks Out on War Fatigue and Disillusionment
In May, a Russian soldier in his 20s, currently deployed in Ukraine, spoke with The Sankei Shimbun while on leave in Moscow.
It is highly unusual for an active-duty Russian soldier to grant an interview to Japanese media. In an exclusive interview, he discussed his reasons for joining the military and why he believes the Russian army's advance in Ukraine has slowed.
He also candidly expressed deep dissatisfaction with Russian society's lack of empathy for soldiers. His ultimate personal mission, he said, is simply "to survive," and he admitted to feeling envious of Japanese society.
The man agreed to the interview on the condition that neither his name nor his unit be revealed. He said he is currently serving in reconnaissance and sniper roles in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine.
He first enlisted as a volunteer shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, serving from March to October that year. He later left the military but rejoined in 2024.
The soldier explained that he joined the army because he "didn't want to see something like the Maidan Revolution happen in Moscow." The 2014 Maidan uprising saw Ukraine's pro-Russian government overthrown by mass protests.
Russia views the Maidan Revolution as an illegal coup orchestrated by the United States and European countries. In its aftermath, Russia annexed Crimea, and pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas regions (Donetsk and Luhansk) rose up with Moscow's support, sparking a conflict in eastern Ukraine. That conflict, along with Ukraine's growing ties to the West, helped set the stage for Russia's full-scale invasion.
"I believe that even if Russia hadn't annexed Crimea or interfered in the country, Ukraine would eventually have been incited by the West to attack Russia," the man said. "I'm not an extreme patriot, but I believe in fighting to defend where I live."
He also stated, "Ukraine has no money. Without military and financial aid from the West, it wouldn't be able to fight. It's a very dependent country." Firefighters work at an apartment building that was hit by a Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 23. (©Reuters via Kyodo)
Currently, the Russian military is attempting to hold territory in southern Ukraine, including Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Meanwhile, it is slowly advancing in eastern regions, such as Donetsk, the main battleground. However, it has struggled to capture and hold strategically important cities for extended periods.
Asked why he thought the pace of the Russian advance had slowed, the soldier pointed to the deaths and injuries of skilled and courageous commanders over more than three years of fighting.
"Now we have commanders with little experience in modern warfare who rely on outdated tactics. Officers and generals rarely risk themselves to show us how it's done. That's why regular soldiers are increasingly distrustful of headquarters."
He also commented on the so-called "Easter Truce" reached in April 2024 between Russia and Ukraine, which had little impact on the battlefield. "During the ceasefire, I was injured in two separate Ukrainian shellings. My comrades were killed. Naturally, our unit stopped honoring the ceasefire and retaliated."
The soldier said he has learned from experience what makes a good fighter. "People who enlist for money are more useful than those who join to be heroes or to kill. In my unit, there was someone who joined because he wanted to 'kill Ukrainians,' but he died quickly."
"From the start, I gave myself one supreme order: to survive. But whether I can do that — I don't know."
Although he said he joined out of personal conviction, the soldier criticized Russian society for its lack of respect for soldiers and general indifference toward the war.
"Most Russians don't respect soldiers. Recently in Moscow, I tried to use a free public transport pass, one of the perks for soldiers, but was refused because I was missing one document," he lamented. "No one tried to help. They just don't care about soldiers or the war."
Near the front lines, shops are constantly price-gouging. Cigarettes and milk I have to buy myself cost two to three times more than in Moscow," he added.
"In Donetsk, when an air raid siren sounds, people rush to shelters. But in Moscow, people don't even know where the shelters are."
In closing, the man recalled images he had seen on television of Japan during the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, saying he could never forget them.
"To me, Japan has a spirit of cooperation and unity. Sadly, Russia doesn't have that," he said with a somber expression.
( Read the article in Japanese . )
Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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