A statement from prisoner of war.... can't be really taken on record..

Please, vote this up. Considering how much disinformation is spread about the war in Ukraine, everybody who is still in doubt, should hear this.

What does it say? No Twitter.

Shortly: They [Russian prisoners of war] describe how they were given false information in Russia, they didn't know that Ukrainians will not welcome them with open arms. And they are very very sorry and ashamed that they came as aggressors and did things that they always were against.

Most important, while he's perhaps playing to the audience a bit with the more colorful bits that he probably rehearsed in his head, the guy appears completely sincere. Like, really sincere. Like, if-you-can-fake-that-you've-got-it-made levels of sincerity.

If this is in any way a coerced or even prepared statement, the guy deserves an Oscar.

It isn't faked because I have been to Ukraine and I know that the situation in Ukraine is not like Putin describes.

Regardless of whether what he's saying is true, it could still in theory be coerced, which is why there is a general prohibition on allowing POWs to make public statements. And while in this case it does not appear as if he is being coerced, allowing him to make a public statement like this isn't a good precedent to set, as the Russians will start trotting out POWs as well.