With tears in his eyes, a young Kenyan athlete now captive in Ukraine pleads not to be sent back to Russia.
I will die there, Evans Kibet says, waving his hands in the air towards the unseen interviewer on the video released on Wednesday by a Ukrainian army brigade.
The 36-year-old prisoner-of-war is wearing a red sports top. The brigade's flag is pinned up behind him.
The aspiring long-distance runner says he was tricked into joining the Russian army and is desperate to go home to see his 16-year-old daughter.
In a Facebook post accompanying the video, the 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade said it was an example of how Russia treats foreign recruits but added that he had fought on the side of the enemy, so whether to believe the words and tears is up to your discretion.
Kibet's statement is rare as it is one of the few instances where a foreign combatant captured in Ukraine speaks directly to the camera about their experiences.
Petro Yatsenko, Ukraine's spokesperson on the treatment of prisoners of war, indicated that many foreign recruits, including individuals from poorer nations like Somalia and Sri Lanka, often find themselves on the Russian side due to deception or false promises of employment.
Back in Kenya, Kibet's family and friends are in shock over what they have seen. Kibet's cousin, Edith Chesoi, expressed deep trauma and distress after viewing the video, saying, I didn’t sleep at night. I don’t even know what to say.
Evans Kibet had dedicated his life to athletics, yet financial struggles led him to seek opportunities that ultimately resulted in his dire situation. After being promised a chance to race in Russia, he was instead thrust into the military, coerced into fighting with threats of death.
His family in Kenya is now desperately calling on the government to assist in his repatriation. As Kibet remains in custody, his loved ones hold onto hope that he might escape the horror of war and return home safely.
I will die there, Evans Kibet says, waving his hands in the air towards the unseen interviewer on the video released on Wednesday by a Ukrainian army brigade.
The 36-year-old prisoner-of-war is wearing a red sports top. The brigade's flag is pinned up behind him.
The aspiring long-distance runner says he was tricked into joining the Russian army and is desperate to go home to see his 16-year-old daughter.
In a Facebook post accompanying the video, the 57th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade said it was an example of how Russia treats foreign recruits but added that he had fought on the side of the enemy, so whether to believe the words and tears is up to your discretion.
Kibet's statement is rare as it is one of the few instances where a foreign combatant captured in Ukraine speaks directly to the camera about their experiences.
Petro Yatsenko, Ukraine's spokesperson on the treatment of prisoners of war, indicated that many foreign recruits, including individuals from poorer nations like Somalia and Sri Lanka, often find themselves on the Russian side due to deception or false promises of employment.
Back in Kenya, Kibet's family and friends are in shock over what they have seen. Kibet's cousin, Edith Chesoi, expressed deep trauma and distress after viewing the video, saying, I didn’t sleep at night. I don’t even know what to say.
Evans Kibet had dedicated his life to athletics, yet financial struggles led him to seek opportunities that ultimately resulted in his dire situation. After being promised a chance to race in Russia, he was instead thrust into the military, coerced into fighting with threats of death.
His family in Kenya is now desperately calling on the government to assist in his repatriation. As Kibet remains in custody, his loved ones hold onto hope that he might escape the horror of war and return home safely.
