---
title: "Failed PR stunt: Russian soldier captured while attempting to plant flag"
description: "A Russian army scout recruited from prison was captured by the 225th OShP of the AFU near Zaporizhzhia while attempting to plant a Russian flag deep in the rear for a propaganda video."
date: 2026-10-25T09:47:29.338Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/russian-scout-captured-while-trying-to-plant-flag
tags: [war-in-ukraine, zaporizhzhia, propaganda, prisoners-of-war, russia, ukraine, military-operations]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Failed PR stunt: Russian soldier captured while attempting to plant flag

![Hands of a soldier in camouflage, bound with a plastic zip tie, against a dark background.](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/25/rossiyskiy-razvedchik-popal-v-plen-pri-popytke-ustanovki-flaga/rossiyskiy-razvedchik-popal-v-plen-pri-popytke-ustanovki-flaga-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Captured 36th Brigade scout was performing a mission in the deep Ukrainian rear.
- The mission involved planting a flag for a propaganda video near Tersianka.
- The soldier was recruited in a prison and had only served two months.
- Experienced comrades warned him of certain death during the mission.

Fighters of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment (OShP) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have captured a Russian army soldier who was carrying out a specific mission in the Ukrainian rear. According to information provided by the 7th Separate Corps of the Air Assault Forces (DSHV), the incident took place in the Zaporizhzhia region near Huliaipole. The occupier, a scout from the 36th Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces, was ordered to penetrate 20 kilometers deep into Ukrainian positions to conduct a staged photo and video shoot.

### Details of the failed operation

The Russian command's plan was to create a fake image of the successful advance of their forces in this sector of the front. The scout was supposed to reach the village of Tersianka, deploy a Russian state flag there, and record a propaganda video, after which he was to safely return to his deployment point. However, instead of completing the disinformation mission, the Russian soldier was discovered and neutralized by the 225th OShP forces, which led to his capture.

### "For meat" from prisons

During the initial interrogation, a video of which was released by the 7th DSHV Corps, the prisoner spoke about his background. It turned out that he had joined the ranks of the Russian army directly from a prison where he was serving a sentence. The man reported that only two months had passed since he signed the contract until he was sent on the mission. According to him, more experienced comrades in his unit warned him directly that this mission was suicidal and that he was essentially being sent "for meat."

### Tactical goals and methods of war

This case demonstrates the Russian army's strategy of using psychological and information operations to maintain the appearance of success at the front. Sending untrained personnel recruited in colonies to conduct risky reconnaissance and propaganda raids deep into enemy territory indicates a critical shortage of qualified personnel and a disregard for the lives of the personnel. The failure of this operation became a clear example of the ineffectiveness of such manipulative methods of warfare under conditions of intense combat.

### Significance of the incident

The capture of a scout with a propaganda mission exposes the mechanisms for creating "victorious" reports for the Russian information space. In the long term, this event undermines trust in reports of the "advance" of occupation forces in the Zaporizhzhia direction, demonstrating exactly how such reporting figures are achieved. It is expected that this case will be the subject of further analysis of the effectiveness of Russian sabotage groups forced to resort to such methods for the sake of creating a fictional picture of success.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Российский зэк должен был снять "победное" видео, а оказался в плену ВСУ](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/rosiyskiy-zek-mav-znyati-peremozhne-video-1792921382.html) - Information confirmed by the 7th Separate Corps of the DSHV report as cited by RBC-Ukraine.

## FAQ

### Where exactly did the incident occur?

The event took place in the Zaporizhzhia region, on a section between Huliaipole and Tersianka.

### What mission was the prisoner supposed to carry out?

The Russian soldier was supposed to travel 20 km into the AFU rear, plant a Russian flag, and record a video to create the appearance of troop advancement.

### Who captured the Russian serviceman?

The capture was carried out by fighters of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment of the AFU.