Konstantin Yefremov, a Russian soldier who fled Russia after he was dismissed from the army for refusing to return to Ukraine, speaks with CNN's Erin Burnett about the "dire" conditions he experienced while fighting. #CNN #News
I'm always more than a little disappointed with the quality of translation. This man is actually far more polite, articulate, and intelligent than how the interpreter makes him sound. It's hard to catch everything he's saying over the voice over, but there are a few good examples. He starts by saying that "America is the land of democracy." In his parting salutation to Ms. Burnett, he reverses "thank you" to "you thank," which is best translated as "no, thank you." These are small details that often get lost.
Yeah sure..a polite Russian Soldier who defected so that he won't be jailed in a POW camp, now seeking asylum in the US..and probably killed Ukrainians..not denying he committed atrocities.
This is a man I can respect with the highest degree, he stood up against a government that would rather have him killed by those he has no hatred for rather than live out his life in a happy and free way, instead he was forced to flee a conflict he and millions of those do not wish to be part of! This war needs more people like him! Take a stand, lay down your arms and stop the unessesery bloodshed! #freeeveryoneonbothsides!!
@@libGODFATHER You are absolutely wrong. Committing war crimes is not an oath that soldiers are sworn to uphold. In fact, they are required by their oath to stop all war crimes committed by fellow soldiers.
It took a real courage to stand up for what you believe in when everything is at risk. I wish you stay safe and remain faithful to being a just and honorable man.
It takes a brave man to go to war. It takes a braver man to stand up against what’s wrong. I hope he gets shelter in the US or other freedom loving country.
Takes a brave man to protest the war from the start knowing it can lead to your death or prison. A brave man doesn't join a war to attack innocent civilians just to switch sides later.
They're all like him. All are orcs who dislike being shot at and a dream of leaving UA in one piece. If UA wasn't punishing them as furiously as it is, they'd all be singing heil to the Pooptler instead. Never trust a russian.
Lol what do you mean a double agent? He's not been assigned a new position of authority, just giving an interview confirming what we already suspected - that conditions for Russian troops is awful. The tampons for wound dressing, not being provided even basic necessities like socks, no food rations - thus him boiling a rabbit they had to catch in the wild - etc.
The documents that are shown bring shame in Russia. It is not something even spy would do. A spy would rather disguise as civilian refugee than have paperwork signed with their real name on them. Also spy would not go on American new TV, say he wants to flee to USA, and say he is stuck in Mexico because the USA has not taken him yet
@@Arty_McParty One of few russians that got some balls to do the right thing. Most seem to be soulless sheep that beleive in all the crap the russian propagandamachine is feeding people with🤮🤮🤮
@@Arty_McParty If standing up to a dictator is being a coward, i would be a coward anytime. This is sick, and the fact that you cannot see this is just as.
They aren't dying for Putin, they are dying to protect their country from NATO encroachment and to liberate the russian speakers in the east who have been oppressed by the Ukrainians
@@ervinlosha1333 He's a coward to Russia, he's a hero to everyone else. Why? Imagine forced to work for someone whose ideas you don't even support. He made his own decision to leave, because he didn't want to continue killing innocent civilians. Plus, he could've been killed by his own comrades. That's why hes considered a hero or courageous for leaving.
@@null-0 odds are his contract was up and he wanted to get his pay and get out, russia obviously said no continue to fight. As an officer, he probably killed Russians who refused to fight and he knows his number is up. So after killing innocent Russians and innocent ukranians he wants to flee because he knows they would rather kill him than pay him. He is someone I would not want living near me. He took advantage of his situation any chance he got. This guy would kill you in your sleep and not even blink. He is a war criminal, looking for a way out just like the nazis did after WW2. If he is granted asylum, they will put him with other Russians where he will beat and manipulate them for their money using the tactics he learned in russia. If it’s that bad send him back to fight Putin. Lol he won’t do that…..just a diseased rat abandoning a sinking ship.
you have no clue what's is justice and freedom. Go into Ukraine to get a good knowledge. Ukraine is the most corrupt country in the world and yes, they are supressing any opinion which is different from the official narrative. Most of the political parties were banned. At least do some research what's going on.
@Make Ukraine Russia Again 🇷🇺 It's not cowardly to refuse to kill innocent people in an unprovoked invasion by the orders of a power-hungry dictator. Easy for you to be an arm-chair soldier though.
Propaganda, for Russia to break Ukraine apart just like Russia siezed Crimea in 2014. I get it you want to defend Russia, but their territorial aggression is obvious to everyone. Once Russia leaves all parts of Ukraine there won't be any conflict anymore.
@@makeukrainerussiaagain6584they did that to themselves that’s like Texas taking up arms against Washington trying to separate from America and expecting America to do nothing after all they’ve invested in Texas and etc
@Make Ukraine Russia Again 🇷🇺 Well one thing's for sure, he won't die alone and be discarded like a piece of trash. Now the rest of your pansy comrades on the other hand....well that's completely different. At this point, anyone who could take Russia's side in this has no place in a functioning world, and will be discarded like a piece of trash.
I agree. Likewise the one in Norway claiming to be former Wagner. Not sure what showing his ID card proves in this day of ever more sophisticated forgeries. That said, if he is genuine I wish him well.
100% Not sure if the US will take him..what we can't tell is whether he committed atrocities..this guy probably killed Ukrainians..not high ranking enough for US intelligence to use him..why didn't he seek asylum in any one of the EU countries..doesn't speak English..what work will he find in the US or live off welfare..could be a Russian plant.
Don’t let your cynicism override reality, let alone empathy for a fellow man, in distress. When the reporter asked him about the crimes he had witnessed, I could see, for a split, the pain and horror in his eyes recalling his experience. I believe him.
Why this war criminal is giving interview instead of being arrested? His comrades criminals were torturing prisoner and he just watched and did nothing to stop them?? He will see no mercy.
Konstantin, thank you for instilling hope that there are Russians who are ashamed of Putin's war, the invasion of Ukraine and his terrible actions against the civilian population of Ukraine. Konstantin, you are the path to peace, thank you for your courage and for being a good example for the Russian people. Константин, спасибо, что вселили надежду, что есть россияне, которым стыдно за путинскую войну, вторжение в Украину и его ужасные действия против мирного населения Украины. Константин, вы путь к миру, спасибо вам за ваше мужество и за то, что вы являетесь хорошим примером для русского народа. Konstantin, spasibo, chto vselili nadezhdu, chto yest' rossiyane, kotorym stydno za putinskuyu voynu, vtorzheniye v Ukrainu i yego uzhasnyye deystviya protiv mirnogo naseleniya Ukrainy. Konstantin, vy put' k miru, spasibo vam za vashe muzhestvo i za to, chto vy yavlyayetes' khoroshim primerom dlya russkogo naroda.
Yes - thank you for "instilling HOPE" that there are Russians who are ashamed of Putin's war. I now HAVE that HOPE "that there are Russians who are ashamed of Putin's war" ; However, "HOPE" is NOT a management tool. It's an ATTITUDE, and therefore USELESS when there are things to do.
@@manifold1476 Hope is a powerful tool it inspires millions of people into action, to change a seemingly hopeless situation, it helps people think through the problem and even find other like minded individuals to figure out the next steps. Hope is the first steps to taking action. Hope is huge, don't underestimate it. So if people in Russia cannot protest on the streets, without being arrested or assaulted, they could have a mass strike on the 24th Feb where no-one goes to work, for example.
I’m so pleased this man stepped away from the war I have to give him credit for that I hope he inspires the other soldiers to do the same. He has been vetted or the military would of denied him asylum let’s hope he has information to give the military in this useless war
And that's why it's hard for Russian soldiers to get asylum. We can't prove that they weren't engaged in criminal activity along with the rest of the army. They could simply be telling us what we want to hear to save their own skins.
Why this war criminal is giving interview instead of being arrested? His comrades criminals were torturing prisoner and he just watched and did nothing to stop them?? He will see no mercy.
@@dsab381 When the herd is poured into the "feeder" according to the schedule, in portions and with the necessary "biological additives", it is difficult to understand who is a savage and who is a Bandera...
@Kyle Kyle As someone who is Japanese and has family that fought in the Russo-Japanese war, I'll say this. Russia will lose because their war tactics haven't evolved much from 1905, which was "human wave" tactics. Russians are undisciplined, untalented, and underpowered and unintelligent when it comes to their militaristic abilities.
@@MarkM001 There's a much more practical matter than that. If he's treated well and gains asylum, that sends a message to other Russians on the frontlines who don't want to be there that if they desert there's hope toward getting asylum abroad. It encourages desertion and discourages participation in war crimes. It depletes Russia's ranks. It means it takes less aid to Ukraine to stop and reverse Russian advances, saving far more money than granting asylum costs.
We don’t need traitors and you don’t know the truth of things. Zelensky just had some Ukrainian troops shot on the spot for holding up a white surrender flag.
@@karenrobertsdottir4101 Agreed although I don't know how much information can get to Moscow's front lines. I am confidant this man will contribute far more to my country than the price of asylum. I do hope he is granted asylum, aspires to US citizenship and is granted US citizenship but that will take a while. Many people in my country do not feel the same as I about immigrants and this is a highly unusual way to immigrate. I've only known one other in my life, he was a Syrian pilot and that was thirty years ago. Edit: almost forty years ago actually, I'm old :).
I fought in the trenches sinces 2016 in Donbass and the first seven months of this war I was fighting in Mykoliav and Kherson. Absolutely no love for this guy. They are war criminals who just complain about their hardships instead of speaking about getting out of our country!
Remember that no goverment is more important than your personal ethics and morale. It’s sad that many Russian soldiers probably are only realizing now in what kind of country they are living. A true hero.
Don't imagine Russians are not aware of the nature of their regime. They are fully aware that they live in a dictatorship that discriminates against non-Russian ethnics, of which there are tens of millions in Russia, that it violently suppresses opposition, by imprisoning, torturing and killing people without due legal process, that it literally associates itself with and supports organized crime, considering it a legitimate means of government and pursuit of Russian interests abroad. Only, the bulk of them find this acceptable, in return for a reasonably trouble- and worry-free life. Not all, but still the vast majority of Russians are willing and knowing accomplices of the Russian regime.
@@jaymass1178 Lmmfaoooooo Awe thr kleminskyzzzz golibukzzz klockovz are chirping for a 1/2 ruble n cup of solyanka on cue Lmmfaoooooo Americans are laughing at the recycling GOLUBOIzzzzz 😂🤡😂
@Mariana Gautier This man is a russian solder, but people are praising him for doing the right thing...this segment and comments under it is a true statement that this war is a fight between good and evil, not one nation against another. It's obvious that you picked your side, now live with it...also, please crawl back in the hole you came out of and just stay there
@@mariigautier so someone points out that Russians attacked independent country and caused deaths of 100's of thousands, but you call it Russoohobic? Are you for real? How can you sleep at night?
im sad for ukraine. terrible what that zelensky is doing to his country. And without shame, while ukrainians are dying he travels arround with his wifey and doing photoshoots for magazines. It seems that the ukrainians are not used to use their brain. We have many ukrainian refugees here in croatia and i have not seen one ukrainian car under 50 000 euro. slava ukraini my ass
I wish we could somehow show the Russians that we want peace. And we don’t want to rule Russia. Their leader is paranoid and we’re all suffering needlessly
Show us. If minks agreement was followed up and all what discussed there would be done, there would be no war. As NATO would not expanded as was promised to us in 90s , war would not happen. We tried to talk and make agreements again and again and always been betrayed
You're a good man, Konstantin, and braver than I could ever imagine having to be. I hope you get asylum here in the US. We could use more people like you.
You are alive because you flew or else he may be no more but in the grave dying for nothing but just life sacrifice without any meaning. Stay safe bless wherever you are .
Russians, surrender! You will see your home again! This is N O T Y O U R W A R Join your German comrades. They understand your S U F F E R I N G*, and will care more for you than your own officers, who are only sending you to your death. The Third Reich is *N O T Y O U R E N E M Y*. The *E N E M Y is B L O O D T H I R S T Y S T A L I N and his K G B kin who have stolen
They should not only give him an asylum, they should give him $100K for defecting. That will encourage thousands to defect. When they do, you grab them and put them in prison until the war is over.
There is no question, this is a truly brave man. I sincerely hope that he obtains asylum and is able to make a contribution to ending this terrible and senseless war.
Why is he not facing a judge? He abandoned his post, and took part in genocide, that shouldn't give him a pass for the crimes against Ukraine! Just saying.
if you think that the Russian soldier thinks differently than the Russian president, then you are deeply mistaken and it is time for you to be interested in the Russian soldier or the resident of Crimea. It's not about being stuck or forced or blindly obeying. The Russian soldier protects the country - you will never understand this. For you always, Russia is a barbaric country. There is only your opinion - the other opinion is a priori wrong! Putin is never healthy in mind and body, he is not healthy with air! Maybe it's time to honor the story, maybe it's time to be more interested in the subject to discuss it. cnn pours shit into your ears and you believe , and you don't even want to know the truth from other sources, for example from first hand. Nothing interests you. You can't even find Ukraine on the map.
@@kylekyle9618 hmmmm, you are saying the Russian army sacrificed hundreds of tanks and thousands of their best trained and elite paratroopers to distract Kyviv for the land bridge to Crimea? Moscow must be dumber than what we all thought they were, lol.
for those who love the war, they were not fighting in world war 1 or 2. please do not underestimate how destructive the result of the war. Sir Putin, just stop attack Ukraine. Thank you.
Ali also refused to be inducted into the armed forces, saying “I ain't got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” On June 20, 1967, It only proves that encouraging the conflict with more arms 🙅 is against good people.
Yeah, well.. not too much contrition there about what they did to Ukraine. Mostly he talks about how difficult the circumstances were for them. Had the war gone better for the ruzzkis, he would still be there following orders. So my advice for a reward for him is: ticket back to moscow
Poland already sends fighter jets to Ukraine as donation but names them as "spare parts". german government promised to send 14 Leo2 but good news is that germany have 550 Leopard2 tanks that should be sent to help Ukraine, even more germany have 140 fighter jets that should be sent to help Ukraine. Ukraine needs fighter jets and only 300 Leopard2 tanks to defend and stop russian invasion.
thank you poland for sending your equipment to ukraine, we never have a problem with polish but now they acting like they are want to go war with russian..
Neither has Germany 500 Leopard II tanks nor do we have 140 jets to spare. I do not know where you get your numbers from. We had reduced our military numbers in a completeley irresponsible way. Rebuilding the army will take time.
Quick to put the blame entirely on Putin. Unfortunately contrary to what you belive it wasn't done on a whim, nor was it about conquest. You need to do some research on the topic of Russia and Ukraine. Cause the events that inevitablyled to this started before you were even born. He had more of a justified reason than the US did for going into Iraq. Need I remind you what the US did in Iraq was also much much worse. The two aren't even comparable. Yet you don't condemn and hate the US. Why? Are you a Russophobe??
The United States is to blame for this war, and their puppet Zelensky is to blame in the second place. Putin (Russia) had no other choice after the United States, in December 2021, refused to negotiate security at the Russian borders..
Why this war criminal is giving interview instead of being arrested? His comrades criminals were torturing prisoner and he just watched and did nothing to stop them?? He will see no mercy.
Bah, since Gorbachev tore the wall 1991, the mvd has spread through the democratic world. Everywhere. This guy won't be able to do much damage, not as much as those living here for the last 30 years.
I guess being a Russian defecting from Russia at this moment I wouldn't touch you even with a longest stick. With the mercenaries doing much better than the army, they have the KGB / GRU / Spies working overtime!
You can walk through borders ya know in the forests. Some have done it and are soldiers on ukraine side. Or he could have gotten out easily through belarus
@@juliec5309 Yes, a Lieutenant, tells them he's not going to take part in the war, and they say.... "ok" And he goes about his days. Oh, then comes here and just hangs out. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-0D7hFHfLEyk.html
@HummusLad he does not. Our citizens and resident aliens do. I have sense to scrutinize a very suspicious person. Not everyone has that ability to do such a thing.
