Ukrainian prisoners of war and defectors have been gathered into a Russian battalion to face Ukrainian forces — why? And how?

The Russian military has established a battalion composed of Ukrainian prisoners of war and defectors, officially described by Russian authorities as a unit of volunteers. These individuals are being deployed to engage in combat operations against Ukrainian forces.

While the official Russian narrative characterizes the formation as a voluntary effort, accounts from military veterans and former prisoners of war present a conflicting perspective. These reports suggest that the recruitment process and the nature of the battalion's formation differ significantly from the voluntary status claimed by state officials.