"A stunning interview published today by Novaya Gazeta (one of very few independent media outlets remaining in totalitarian Russia), showcases the warped mentality of Putin's soldiers in Ukraine. Dorzhi Batomunkuev is a Russian soldier, who participated in a tank battle near Debaltseve. He detailed the process of deployment of Russian troops to Ukraine and outlined his own participation. While the information he revealed is quite staggering, Batomunkuev's self-described mindset is equally as revealing. Although the troops were initially told they are going to participate in military exercises, all soldiers knew where they were going. "Even if we do military exercises first, we'll be sent to bomb khokhols [derogatory slur used by Russians to describe Ukrainians]."

Batomunkuev describes the process of "maskirovka" (military deception) that commenced in Russia: painting over the license plates, disguising tanks, removing military patches and epaulets, leaving passports and military ID's with their military divisions. "We all knew where we were going. I was fully adjusted, mentally and physically, to the fact that we would have to go to Ukraine."

Russian soldier fighting in Ukraine is proud of Putin for deceiving the world