Ukraine reports Filipino killed while fighting for Russia

January 28 ------ MALACAÑANG said it is verifying reports that a Filipino was among Russian forces killed in Ukraine. Ukraine’s Military Intelligence earlier this week reported that a Filipino, identified as “John Patrick,” was one of many foreigners who fought under Russia’s 9th Assault Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 283rd Regiment of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division in the 20th Combined Arms Army of the Russian Armed Forces.

He perished in a “meat assault,” or heavy attack, near the village of Novoselivka in the Kramatorsk district in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. In a Palace briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the government has yet to receive official reports from pertinent agencies and authorities regarding the matter. “At this time, there is nothing official to report, but we will examine the full context,” the official said in Filipino, and added that the Palace would “coordinate directly with the secretary of Defense” on the matter.

John Patrick, reportedly “did not speak Russian,” carried only basic weapons, ammunition and a paper with his unit number and commander’s name when he sustained injuries and “left to die” in a forest, Ukrainian authorities claimed. The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said it is also looking to confirm the report.

International sources, including the Kyiv Post and United24 Media, highlighted John Patrick’s case as part of a broader trend where Russia allegedly recruits foreign nationals and labor migrants through deception or pressure. These recruits are often promised rear-area roles or citizenship, only to be deployed to active combat zones. An Associated Press (AP) investigation found that Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia under the false promise of civilian work, only to be thrust into the chaos of combat in Ukraine. Many were threatened with violence, imprisonment or death.

AP spoke with three Bangladeshi men who escaped from the Russian military, including Maksudur Rahman, who said that after arriving in Moscow, he and a group of fellow Bangladeshi workers were told to sign Russian documents that turned out to be military contracts. They were taken to an army camp for training in drone warfare techniques, medical evacuation procedures and basic combat skills using heavy weapons. Rahman protested, complaining that this was not the work he agreed to do. A Russian commander offered a stark reply through a translation app: “Your agent sent you here. We bought you.” The three Bangladeshi men shared harrowing accounts of being coerced into front-line tasks against their will, including advancing ahead of Russian forces, transporting supplies, evacuating wounded soldiers and recovering the dead. The families of three other Bangladeshi men who are missing said their loved ones shared similar accounts with relatives.

Neither the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian Foreign Ministry nor the South Asian country’s government responded to a list of questions from the AP. Rahman said the workers in his group were threatened with 10-year jail terms and beaten. “They’d say, ‘Why don’t you work? Why are you crying?’ and kick us,” said Rahman, who escaped and returned home after seven months.

The workers’ accounts were corroborated by documents, including travel papers, Russian military contracts, medical and police reports, and photos. The documents show the visas granted to Bangladeshi workers, their injuries sustained during battles and evidence of their participation in the war.

Source: manilatimes.net