Russian soldiers disguised in civilian clothes infiltrating front-line city

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/russian-soldiers-disguised-civilian-clothing-infiltrating/

by TheTelegraph

5 comments

  1. ***The Telegraph reports:***

    A photograph shared in a group chat shows two men dressed in civilian clothing walking out of a house in downtown Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine.

    “Watch out, these are Russians,” the message reads, in a warning to other members of Ukraine’s 25th Separate Airborne Brigade. For weeks now, these war-battered Ukrainian soldiers stationed in the city have not only been attacked by Russian drones but also Vladimir Putin’s troops disguised as civilians.

    Russian forces are using this new tactic to infiltrate Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub, and attack [Ukrainian soldiers from within](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/ukraine-russia-war-latest-news40/), The Telegraph can reveal.

    It’s part of Russia’s race to seize the city and as much Ukrainian territory as its forces will allow [ahead of Putin’s peace talks with Donald Trump](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/insight-trump-putin-diplomats-ukraine-russia-peace-talks/), the US president, on Friday. 

    The Telegraph revealed Ukraine [could agree to cede territory](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/11/ukraine-prepared-freeze-war-current-frontline-summit/) already held by Russia as part of a European-backed plan for peace. This would mean freezing the front line as part of Mr Trump’s settlement and handing Russia de-facto control of the territory it occupies in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson and Crimea.

    And Russia’s efforts to take as much land as possible are ramping up. Sabotage and reconnaissance units have driven through exposed defences near Dobropillia in Donetsk, marching as far as six miles behind the front line in just 48 hours, battlefield reports say. Their aim is to cut off Pokrovsk and the city of Kramatorsk, another vital stronghold in the Donbas still under Ukraine’s control.

    Yet [defiant Ukrainian soldiers](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/07/poll-ukrainians-fight-to-the-end-russia-results/) are refusing to give up their fight in Pokrovsk, the scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. It’s here that Russian troops are hiding in plain clothes among the population, Illia Petryna, a deputy commander, told The Telegraph.

    “We witnessed Russians change from their military clothes, even changing into our uniforms. We find Russian military clothes in areas where we know they were,” he says. The brigade has even intercepted Russian radio chatter in which Russian soldiers discuss these disguises.

    **Full story:** [**https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/russian-soldiers-disguised-civilian-clothing-infiltrating/**](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/08/13/russian-soldiers-disguised-civilian-clothing-infiltrating/)

  2. They need to be careful. Other Russians might shoot them.

  3. So… more Muscovite war crimes. What a surprise

  4. Isn’t that illegal? Dressing up as civilians during war or wearing the opponents insignia?

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