While there may be some value to the Ukrainian military obtained from Russian prisoners of war, I hope Ukraine has learned lessons from history; do not keep Russian prisoners of war alive and do not take prisoners in the first place. They are a drain on already strained Ukrainian resources, and any limited, ephemeral intelligence and propaganda value they derive from their captives cannot balance keeping and feeding them. While allowing Russian prisoners to literally phone home is a quaint propaganda tactic, I say it is better that the mothers and fathers of these soldiers should be left with the empty feeling of their sons having vanished in the war, especially since the Russian military has no interest in making sure their troops killed on the battlefield are repatriated back to their families. The greater value is that more Russian soldiers disappear in Ukraine, leaving a hole in Russians’ hearts.
Moreover, every Ukraine fighter’s primary — only — goal is to kill as many Russian soldiers as possible. Not to capture them. Not to allow them to retreat. Not to trade them. Their only directive should be to kill, kill, kill. I promise you that any Russian soldier allowed to escape or be released will be one more soldier who comes back to kill Ukrainian women, children, and the elderly. There is no such thing as mercy in war. War is merciless — a value Russia consistently dispenses, yet the West constantly eschews. War is the definition of kill or be killed. So, Russian P.O.W.s are out of the question. Take these Russian pawns off the chessboard once and for all. I wish I could say that I’m sorry for being so callous, but let’s face it — war is not for the weak. Any notion of chivalry in war is a fantasy. Russia is waging total war. Ukraine needs to respond in kind! I’m sure there are some Geneva Convention rules and such non-sense about soldiers who surrender. I’m not saying Ukraine should commit war crimes — I guess — but let’s just say Ukrainians should be in the mindset of fighting to the death — of every Russian invader. There should be no such thing as a surrendering Russian soldier.