Arestovych names number of Russian conscripts captured in Ukraine

In Ukraine, 250-300 conscripts of the Russian army are in captivity, Advisor to the Head of the Ukrainian President's Office Oleksiy Arestovych said, Report informs via UNIAN.

"I can say how many of them are in captivity - there are at least 250-300 of them there, only conscripts," Arestovych said.

He stated that on March 9, a press conference was held in Kyiv with the participation of captured Russian conscripts.

"The conscripts told many interesting things, the conscripts-scouts of the 15th separate motorized rifle brigade, which had previously fought in Syria, the so-called 'peacekeepers' who were in Nagorno-Karabakh and had previously fought in the Donbas. They told a lot about Syria and Donbas, and Syrian methods used in Ukraine, when they surround cities, and since they cannot defeat the army, they are trying to defeat the population, as they are doing it in Mariupol now," Arestovych said.

According to him, it is difficult to say how many Russian conscripts are fighting in Ukraine; there are such soldiers in each direction where military operations are taking place.

Oleksiy Arestovych believes that at least half of the personnel of the Russian army, participating in the military actions in Ukraine, are conscripts.

According to his estimates, there are at least 80,000-100,000 Russian conscripts in Ukraine.

He also believes that half of the Russian soldiers who died in Ukraine are also conscripts.

Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry admitted that there are conscripts among the Russian troops in Ukraine.