With tears in the eyes, a young Kenyan athlete, now captive in Ukraine, begs not to be sent back to Russia.
“I will die there,” says Evans Kibet, waving his hands in the air to the hidden interviewer from the video published on Wednesday by a Ukrainian army brigade, writes BBC.
The 36 -year -old war prisoner wears a red sports shirt. The flag of the brigade is flown behind him.
The long background runner says he was fooled to enlist in the Russian army and is desperate to return home to see his 16-year-old daughter.
In a Facebook post that accompanies the video, the 57-motor infantry brigade said it is an example of how Russia treats foreign recruits, but added that “fought on the enemy's side, so it depends on you if you believe words and tears.”
The brigade said the interview was filmed with Kibet's consent, but the BBC did not verify this. Although recruits from abroad in the Russian army are not unusual, rarely a captive stranger speaks on video.
Citizens from Somalia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Cuba and Sri Lanka, among others, are currently detained in prisoners of war in Ukraine, said Ukraine's spokesman for the treatment of prisoners of war.
“Most of these people come from poorer countries and reach the side of Russia in different ways. Some are cheated – jobs are promised to factories – while others join the war of goodwill. It is important to understand that very few are captured by living; most are either killed or seriously injured,” he added.
Back to Kenya, Kibet's family and friends are shocked by what they saw.
After a deep sigh and a long break, his cousin, Edith Chesoi, told the BBC that he resumed the video in mind again and again.
“I'm so traumatized. I didn't sleep at night. I don't even know what to say.”
Kibet's younger brother, Isaac Kipyego, described as “a humble and few words”, as well as a pillar for the rest of the family.
“I like to run, I like to run,” Kibet says in the video. And this is precisely this probably to become a Russian recruit without knowing.
Kibet has built his life around athletics, a sport that propelled many Kenyni as from life to a village to a special status.
He grew up in a family of farmers in the Mount Elgon area in western Kenyei.
Kibet has trained in Iten, the high altitude city famous for the production of world and champions, but in a competitive field has never reached this status. Instead, he competed in lesser -known road races, 10 km and semaratoons, in Europe and Asia, according to family and friends.
“Kibet has been running since he was a child,” said his younger brother. “He was always talented. Running is his life.”
However, although the sport defined the identity, it did not bring the financial success after which he longed.
Friends say Kibet had faced financial difficulties.
In March, he asked for a training partner, Elias Kiptum, to help him attend the Poland race, but the team was already going.
“I suppose it came to Russia,” Kiptum told the BBC.
When, later that year, a sports agent offered him a trip to Russia to participate in races, Kibet took the opportunity. BBC calls to the agent to confirm this have not been taken over.
“He was very pleased when he told me he would compete in Russia,” Kibet's brother said. “Even I enjoyed him. I had high expectations.”
His cousin, who accompanied the bus parking in the first stage of the trip at the end of July, said he had only “a small suitcase”.
Kibet told his family that he would only miss two weeks.
In the video filmed in Ukraine, Kibet says he went to Russia as a visitor and not to be recruited
Then, after two weeks, the host asked if he would like to stay longer.
“I said,” Yes, but the problem is that my visa has expired. “He said,” No, I can do something for you. ” And then promised Kibet a job.
“In the evening, he came with some papers written in Russian. He told me,” This is the job I want to do. “
Kibet says he then signed the documents, and the man took his phone and passport.
“And that's how everything went wrong … That signature ruined my life.”
“Either fight, or kill you”
According to Kibet, other people appeared and told him to get in a car. Then drove for about seven hours.
“I woke up in a military camp.”
Kibet says he was informed that he enrolled in the army and had no choice.
“I was told:” Either you go to the fight, or you kill you. “”
He says he followed a week of basic training, during which time he was showing how to handle an automatic rifle. None of his commanders spoke English, so the instructions came through hugs and gestures.
Kibet insists that he never participated in the fights and then, on the way to what would have been his first mission, abandoned his equipment and escaped, wandering for two days through a forest near Vovchansk, in the Kharkov region of northeastern Ukraine.
Then he approached some Ukrainian soldiers.
“I went there with my hands up,” he says repeating the gesture for the room.
“I said,” I'm Kenyan, please don't shoot me. “
“Everyone turned their weapons to me, but I told them to calm down. The commander came, they tied me. I told them:” No, I am unarmed, I want nothing. I am here to save my life. “
Although Kibet's family was shocked by the video, there is some relief that it is in the hands of the Ukrainians.
“We think it's a little more secure [cu ei] Unless he was in Russia, “said his brother, Mr. Kipyego.
The family asks Kenyene authorities to intervene. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet responded to the commentary requests.
“If the government of his country of origin expresses his interest in his repatriation, Ukraine is open to negotiations on his home transfer,” said Ukraine spokesman, Mr. Iațenko.
However, talking about other prisoners of war, he added that “most African states show little interest in returning these citizens and do not make efforts to receive them back.”
