A recent article suggests that Russia is actively trying to incite families of captured soldiers against the Ukrainian authorities. Initially, the Russian aggressors convinced these families that Ukraine was doing nothing to free the prisoners, subsequently pushing them to take to the streets in protest. However, the tactics turned significantly more focused and violent, with families reportedly being coerced to commit acts of sabotage against Ukraine, such as burning military vehicles and revealing the locations of air defense systems.

The article highlights the emotional and psychological manipulation that families of prisoners are subjected to. Desperate for information about their loved ones, these families often find themselves vulnerable to such coercive tactics. The media cites a disturbing example of a woman whose husband is still in captivity; she received threats from an unknown man demanding that she sabotage Ukrainian infrastructure, using her husband’s plight as leverage by forcing him to speak with her on the phone while others tortured him in the background.

This situation not only sheds light on the extent of the Kremlin's psychological warfare but also raises significant concerns about the treatment of prisoners of war and their families. The manipulation of desperate families for military gain not only exacerbates an already tragic situation but also illustrates the lengths to which Russia is willing to go to maintain pressure on Ukraine and its military operations.