Nikita "Zergut," a fighter with the "Siberia" battalion, part of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), gave an exclusive interview to Channel 24, in which he discussed the situation on the front lines, Russian assault tactics, the occupiers’ motivation, and the mood within Russia.

One of the soldier’s most striking statements concerns the Russian units carrying out assaults: based on his personal observations, between 20% and 30% of them could be drug-dependent and fighting while under the influence of hard drugs.

Putin is confident that he will capture the entire Donbas within a year or a year and a half. However, he fails to mention that, for some reason, he has been unable to do so for 12 years. So what is Putin basing his confidence on, if the reality differs from what he’s saying? I wonder – maybe he has some kind of trump card up his sleeve?

It’s unlikely he has any trump cards. That’s just my personal opinion. Because he simply needs to give his people something again – another promise.

But I’m just curious – what for? To show that he’s supposedly winning? He can’t very well appear weak in front of the public, can he?

Of course. That’s why they consume, so to speak, any news that comes their way. They don’t talk about any of their failures there; they “always win.” Any operation they carry out, any offensive they launch, is always “without casualties.”

In the first months of the war, they released reports claiming they had zero casualties. In reality, their losses were catastrophic. Everyone knows this and saw it clearly.

Full interview: watch the video

But speaking of our counteroffensive, could it really not only have a psychological impact on Russian soldiers but also force them to retreat altogether? Some insiders say that, allegedly, they’re urging certain State Duma deputies to appeal to Putin and tell him that the troops need to be withdrawn. Do you think such a scenario is possible?

I think it’s unlikely he’ll listen to them. That said, even against the backdrop of our counteroffensives – which are currently quite successful – the Third Assault Brigade has demonstrated how it all works in practice and shown the number of prisoners captured.

I think everyone has already seen this – in Russia, for those who needed to see it or were interested, and of course here, in Europe, and around the world: the number of prisoners they took. Our successes can no longer be denied. Most likely, Putin thinks differently. He probably isn’t being shown these reports.

The Main Intelligence Directorate reported that Russia wants to mobilize 300,000 people. Do you think this could really turn the tide on the front lines?

I don’t think it will bring about any fundamental changes. And as for “throwing flesh into the fray” – that’s just how they’ve always operated. They spare neither their own people, nor the general population, nor their own soldiers; it makes no difference to them.

It’s just to maintain the war effort – to put it bluntly – so the war goes on 24/7. That’s what interests them, yes. But we’ve long since prepared for this – for their invasion, so to speak – using drones and other weapons. Of course, it’s sometimes difficult, but we’ll hold them back by any means necessary.

Robert Magyar Brovdi says it won’t be a walk in the park for the Russians here, so our military is also preparing for such a scenario. But if the Russians are watching us right now, what would you like to say to them? Perhaps a warning – maybe they’ll listen and won’t even make it to the front lines?

Look, I think that in any case, this will be watched either by some special agencies or, most likely, by the relatives of those soldiers who are being sent to their deaths. There are already quite a few deserters within the army. No matter how you look at it, the soldiers already understand what’s really going on.

Not what’s happening in the world, but how their commanders treat them – and that they’re simply not even considered human beings.

That’s why I want to tell them: Disobey your commanders’ orders; surrender. That’s it. Otherwise, you’ll die anyway. There’s no other way. Or enlist in the RDK or other battalions that will fight on Ukraine’s side.

We’re always happy to welcome such soldiers. At the very least, it’s a chance to survive, to save your life. That’s for sure.

Ukrainian intelligence has received information that Putin has ordered the lifting of all restrictions on attacks against Ukraine. He told the military that there are now no rules. What is Putin trying to achieve with this? For example, they’ve been striking bridges again. To what end? To cause panic among civilians?

Yes, of course. He can’t win militarily. In other words, we’ll hold out no matter what.

That’s why he needs to sow panic among civilians so that, as I see it, people will – to put it bluntly – act according to his script, just like in Russia, as if we’re all more or less fed up with this, so let’s try to work something out – some kind of peace agreement on their terms.

But I think the people of Ukraine have long since realized that no agreements with them hold any weight – their words are worthless. Absolutely.

And, by the way, Putin said at the conference that “they want peace, but Ukraine ruined everything.” Why is he lying again? Why is he saying again that he supposedly wanted peace?

It’s his party’s policy, so to speak. I think he’s been used to this his whole life, starting with the Soviet Union, where he was so thoroughly imbued with that spirit that in these KGB-style structures, I don’t think anything will ever change.

So he gives his speeches, but he himself doesn’t understand what’s really going on. And the top brass supports him, of course – they nod in agreement with him on this. And, most likely, he probably doesn’t fully understand the whole truth about what’s happening in his country either.

Why was he the first to start talking about the use of nuclear weapons? Supposedly, in response to an attack on the Kaliningrad region. This is already a direct threat to the countries of Europe and the Baltic states. Is he ready to go to war against NATO countries, or will he resort to some kind of hybrid attacks?

It seems to me he ’s just testing them. I wouldn’t call it patience, but he’s making these kinds of threats. To see how the leaders of European countries in general will react to this. If they remain silent, then I think that sooner or later he’ll invade those countries anyway. But that’s just my personal opinion.

We’re seeing how food prices in Russia are changing by the minute after the election. But as I understand it, you still have friends in Russia who can describe the real situation and how people are actually reacting to all of this. Are they willing to take to the streets to protest rising prices and utility rates?

It’s unlikely that anyone there is ready to take to the streets just yet. I think the last protests that could have brought about change in Russia took place about ten years ago. The system there is already tightly controlled; such protests will be nipped in the bud.

And if we were to compare them, say, to the people of Ukraine, the Russian people aren’t ready for that. They lack both the strength and the spirit to stage something like the Maidan in Moscow.

Can these elections even be considered legitimate?

From what I’ve managed to look into regarding these elections in my spare time, there’s endless vote rigging. I don’t consider these elections to be legitimate at all. And it’s right that, as far as I’ve heard, Europe hasn’t recognized them.

Do Russians really support the war?

My personal opinion is that 50% of the population definitely supports the war. That said, they simply say they support the war, but when asked why or for what purpose, they can’t answer.

This is my personal opinion, based on conversations with Russians – my acquaintances, former acquaintances, and former friends – who, in one way or another, were in touch with me back then. They can’t explain it.

What for? What’s the goal? What’s the goal of this war?

I don’t know. Does anyone there even understand? I think they themselves don’t know or understand it.

Why do you think Putin banned the Yabloko party after all – a party that didn’t even call for an end to the war and that simply advocated for finding a way to achieve peace? Was he really afraid, or did he simply decide to eliminate any opposition movement so that no one there would even want to speak out against the Kremlin’s will?

It seems to me that things aren’t quite as they like to portray them – definitely not. This is a warning to all those who still have doubts, or are trying to doubt, that this is what will happen to you, so to speak. As far as I know, they’ve even put one of the leaders in prison or in a pretrial detention center. I can’t say for sure, but I’ve heard something along those lines.

I think this is just a show of force. And it’s meant to nip these doubts about his authority and his party in the bud, right from the start.

The arrest of one of this party’s leaders and the subsequent trials have made headlines across the country. It’s practically treason against the Motherland – I don’t know exactly what charges they’re facing.

And what do you think – is it even conceivable that democratic elections could ever take place in Russia, or is that completely unrealistic for now, as long as Putin is in power?

Not with the current government – of course not. That would have to change first.

Under what conditions could they take place then?

When their entire leadership has passed away. Otherwise, it’s unlikely anything will change there. At the very least, a couple of generations would have to pass. And even then, only if we assume that this “old man” will eventually pass away – only then.

Do strikes on Russian oil refineries really affect Putin and have the potential to change the situation in Russia?

For them, the strikes on the oil refineries – I’m absolutely certain of this – were very significant.

I think there was serious panic there at first, because that’s the main source of revenue for the entire state.

They don’t really produce anything there; they don’t do anything. And that oil and gas money – that’s the main source of revenue for the entire national budget, including the military budget. That’s why, I think, he viewed this situation with apprehension.

But at the same time, he’s ready to keep raising rates and taxes so that every Russian feels the so-called “burden” on their own skin, so that everyone pays for it.

They need to recoup some funds for the military budget. That’s why even the average Russian civilian will end up paying a little more toward the military budget. I think this is the only explanation.

At some point, might Putin realize that things aren’t quite as he claims? To what extent is he willing to escalate? Why is he targeting civilians? Perhaps this is the final stage of his agony, when he realizes he can’t do anything on the front lines and will simply try to escalate the conflict until spring, after which he’ll be ready to make peace? Or will he just keep destroying everything until the very end, as long as he has the strength?

Since he’s not going to change anything at his age, I think a person like him, with his personality, will keep going until the very end, as long as he’s alive. Or he’ll try to survive in some hospital bed, hooked up to all kinds of life-support machines. That’s the kind of person he is – nothing will ever change him. That’s just my personal opinion, though.

You mentioned that the top brass supports him. And here’s the question: are there any divisions among the elite? Are there people who supposedly want to end all this, or are there really that many people there who want this war to continue? But again, do they understand what they’re aiming for by doing this?

The inner circle definitely wants the war to continue, because they’ve taken complete control of all the financial flows related to the military, and the expenses there are enormous. In other words, there’s a lot of money to be embezzled, so they’ll support this until the very end.

And they understand perfectly well that if something were to suddenly change – I’m not saying there’ll be some kind of mob justice against them – but they’ll suffer very serious consequences, even from the Russians at some point.

Now, as for those oil and gas companies that are under fire – will they express their dissatisfaction in any way? Will they call for an end to the war, or will they continue to put up with it as long as they’re told to?

Of course, they won’t say a word. I mean, most likely, in private conversations, they realize this is nonsense. But they won’t speak out against it, because as we’ve seen in many cases, the sanctions imposed on them by the Kremlin are extremely harsh – even leading to all these mysterious deaths of top executives at major companies.

In your estimation, how strong is the enemy on the front lines right now? Who is actually fighting against the Ukrainians? Is it just cannon fodder – people rounded up here and there, or mobilized from somewhere – or is it a professional army?

Unfortunately, they, too, are learning from their mistakes. There are no longer such mindless assaults by nothing but prisoners. They’re running out – not all of them, of course – but I think we’ll finish the job, and they’ll be gone. Of course, they do have well-trained fighters. There’s no denying that.

And their tactics are now well-rehearsed, just as they were – roughly speaking – a couple of years ago. Of course, they send cannon fodder to the front, and then, once they’ve tried to wear down our soldiers, they send in their well-trained fighters.

And so, in some areas, of course, they’ve had some local successes and are advancing, while in others they haven’t. Here, the soldiers are fighting for something else. That’s the whole reason. Over there, they fight out of desperation or for money, but here they’re fighting for something else. That’s why it will be difficult for them to turn the tide.

Speaking of the weapons and tactics they’re currently using, how has the situation on the battlefield changed here? What kind of equipment are they bringing in? Are they trying to bring in mechanized units, or do you see that they’re preparing for a larger-scale offensive?

The attacks by mechanized columns have already ended. Since the era of drones began, everywhere along the front lines, it’s small groups – two or three people – trying to get through. Obviously, not all of them make it.

Out of a group of 2–3, at least one will make it through – and even that’s a “one in three hundred” chance. And it’s through these kinds of waves, of course, that they seep into our villages. And we’re unlikely to see large-scale offensives like that anywhere in the world anymore, because since the dawn of the drone era, they’re simply pointless.

Speaking generally about Russian soldiers – perhaps the prisoners of war with whom you and your comrades have spoken – are they being subjected to some kind of psychological manipulation or given psychotropic drugs to make them go into battle as cannon fodder, so to speak?

As for psychotropic drugs being administered by force, I haven’t heard of that – there are some drugs there, but of course, there are many drug addicts. There’s no denying that. That is, a drug addict will find drugs and go into battle while high.

And it’s not just psychological pressure here – there are death threats, beatings, and public executions taking place within their ranks. If a few people there refuse to go on such a deadly assault, then, of course, they’re punished with the full severity of the group’s discipline, however they see fit – right up to being killed in front of the ranks. This isn’t a secret; everyone’s known this for a long time.

So, out of desperation, of course, many go, but at the same time, as they’re going, there are already enough guys who realize they’re being sent to their deaths. They throw down their weapons and simply walk straight over to surrender to our guys – to the soldiers defending Ukraine.

You say there are a lot of drug addicts – in percentage terms, can you estimate how many people like that you actually encounter?

I’ll speak from personal experience. 20–30% – that’s already, in my opinion, a very high number. And we’re not talking about soft drugs, but rather some pretty hard ones.

So these are drug-addicted people who are joining up?

Yes, of course.

To help us understand how the Russian army has changed now – who are the soldiers coming to storm our positions, what kind of people are they, and what motivates them? Has anything changed here since 2022? Are they now mostly people who are there solely for the money?

I currently distinguish three types of soldiers. First, of course, are the prisoners. Second, there are those who are fighting for money. And while they’re a small number – though not an extremely small percentage – there are still those who are “all in” for Russia, for Putin, and for this so-called “Russian World.”

For the most part, of course, these are better-trained guys – contract soldiers and special forces.

What’s their idea, what’s their goal, how do they see things, and why are they coming here?

From the people I’ve spoken with personally, their heads are a mess. Everyone knows the phrase “Russian World.” So they’re fighting for the “Russian World.” For them, Ukraine is Russia. All the Baltic countries are Russia, too. I don’t know why, but that’s what they believe. And to them, everyone there is Russian. I don’t know.

It’s clear that this is instilled starting in kindergarten; in school, all these ideas are then reinforced by those endless Soviet war movies.

Of course, there are some more or less reasonable films out there, but the general idea they instill in people’s minds from childhood is that you’re some kind of Russian soldier who, without sparing yourself, must give your life – but in the name of what? they themselves cannot explain. This “Russian World,” their Russian idea – I still can’t understand it.

If we return to the topic of potential protest movements, perhaps people inside Russia – in the battalions, those same soldiers who’ve become disillusioned, who’ve seen everything happening on the front lines – might they be ready for radical action? Could we see an attempt at “Wagner 2.0”? What do you think – could something like that be brewing?

Personally, I think it’s unlikely. There are practically no such people left in Russia who could band together and, so to speak, strike a blow against the Kremlin regime from within. Individually, they’re quickly rounded up by agents of that well-known agency.

So people like, say, those who were in Ichkeria – unfortunately, there aren’t any of them left inside the country anymore.

How, then, do you think we can break Russia’s back? How can we defeat them?

Only on the battlefield. And it’s clear that we need to strike specifically at the oil and gas sector. Only then will any real progress begin.

They won’t understand it any other way – no matter what. No agreements, no negotiations – that’s what I think.

If our defense forces are launching a counteroffensive, yet Putin claims they’re “liberating thousands of kilometers of territory” there. How does that add up? Maybe they really aren’t giving him the full picture – maybe they aren’t showing him the map of the Ukrainian advance? And even if they did show it to him, would he believe it?

We’ve all seen how his reports from the Ministry of Defense show completely different maps – the front line is drawn entirely differently than it is in reality. So, it seems to me, this is part of the problem. And, of course, they report something else entirely. About how they’re always winning, how they’re advancing.

He can verify this – and most likely does. He’s far from a fool, but then, given his own words and the promises he’s made, it’s hard for him to admit this to the whole country.

Will Putin be willing to agree to some kind of ceasefire or a freeze on the war if our troops really do continue to advance and he sees this situation unfold?

In that case, I think he’ll start to shift his position. I mean, they only understand force. That’s it – nothing else. The whole world has long since understood this.

Of course, some still think a diplomatic solution is possible. Naturally, that would be better for everyone – including us. But the “Russian soldier” understands only force. That’s it; he won’t understand anything else, just like the average Russian citizen.

What do you think about this statement he made regarding the use of nuclear weapons – about how the “Dead Hand” bunker is being restored, with construction work underway in the Urals – that he is, after all, preparing for the possible use of nuclear weapons? What does this indicate?

He’s panicking a little. He realizes that he hasn’t achieved those successes over the past five years – he hasn’t managed to do that. And so, of course, he’s keeping some trump cards up his sleeve.

I’m not saying that we all need to be afraid right now that he’s going to launch a nuclear strike against us. Okay, even if he does, no one here will lay down their arms – absolutely no one.

What kind of combat operations are your guys currently involved in – if you can talk about those operations – and are they taking part in a counteroffensive?

I can’t tell you where we’re currently deployed. You understand why. But I can tell you a little about our last deployment. It was in the Zaporizhzhia sector, assisting neighboring units in liberating several villages.

How are the Russian soldiers behaving there? What’s the situation with their equipment? How many guided bombs are being dropped? Because even in Zaporizhzhia, we see a lot of them coming in.

There’s practically no military equipment there. For the most part, we’ve only had to deal with these soldiers who are being sent to their deaths, and they’re just hiding in holes and basements.

We go in, clear them out, and that’s it. Those who surrender do so; those who don’t – well, that’s obvious…

How long are you prepared to fight with weapons in hand on Ukraine’s side?

Until the war ends. That’s my only goal. I’m not planning on going anywhere. I don’t think, “I’ve already fought there, so now I’ll go rest.”

No, as long as the war is here, I’m not going anywhere. Not to Europe, and not to live peacefully here either. I definitely won’t be able to live peacefully here, because, as I’ve said many times in other interviews, Ukraine is my home, so I won’t be able to live peacefully while there’s a war going on in the country.

How do you envision Ukraine’s victory? How would you like to see it?

That’s a tough question. Returning to the 1991 borders – that’s not a victory for me. For me personally.

For me personally, victory will come when, after this war ends, we prepare ourselves so that in, say, 5 to 10 years, they won’t attack us again. That, to me, would be victory. To achieve that, we need security guarantees and, above all, a strong army.