Ukraine marine survived 9 MONTHS behind Russian lines after jailbreak
A UKRAINIAN marine has revealed he survived nine months hiding in a basement behind Russian lines after escaping captivity. Mariupol marine Gennadyi Zelenyi was prepared to defend his hometown when…
A UKRAINIAN marine has revealed he survived nine months hiding in a basement behind Russian lines after escaping captivity.
Mariupol marine Gennadyi Zelenyi was prepared to defend his hometown when Putin launched his bloody invasion on Ukraine in 2022 - but had no idea what was to follow.
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Gennadyi Zelenyi was eating animals and drinking water from puddles to survive in Russian territory for 9 monthsCredit: Twitter/@VolodyaTretyak16
The marine managed to escape after receiving contact from the Ukrainian NavyCredit: Twitter/@VolodyaTretyak16
Damaged residential buildings and the Azovstal steel plant in the background in the port city of Mariupol in 2022Credit: AFPOn February 23, that year, Zelenyi - who was in the official 503rd Marine Battalion of the Ukrainian Military - received a chilling phone call from a friend that one million Russians were to invade.
Within a matter of hours, bombs began to erupt across cities as residents desperately fled while Putin's troops advanced over the border.
The first battle Zelenyi fought in was when a Ural truck arrived followed by a tank - then a fuel track and a UAZ.
A rocket-propelled grenade was fired which resulted in Zelenyi and fellow Ukrainian men capturing their first prisoners whom they took gear from among other weaponry and materials.
read more world newsPressure started to mount as the Ukrainian troops were soon unable to leave and were surrounded after a group from Crimea reached Mariupol.
Zelenyi explained in an interview with CRAF Media: "Hell truly began when the KAB bombs started falling. I was in shock when I saw one hit a five-story building and completely obliterate it.
"That was one of the smaller KABs. Later, we heard they had orders to destroy the city, and KABs were flying everywhere."
Zelenyi had befriended a 70-year-old fellow comrade who initially showed up to defend with a pump-action shotgun who told him: "I've got nothing to lose".
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The defender dubbed the old man "relentless," who was physically strong and was prepared to "fight to the end".
Heartstopping vid shows Ukrainian squad holding out for 8 HOURS against North Korean troops while ‘outnumbered 12 to 1’He eventually died, Zelenyi revealed, after he was cruelly hit by an automatic fire.
Zelenyi had to witness another comrade of his die, an IT expert on a big salary with no prior army experience, after he was hit by artillery fire.
Only Zelenyi and another troop survived out of their initial group.
From witnessing his friends get executed, Zelenyi had to come to terms with the devastating thought that he was going to die - but he was even more terrified of being captured by the Russians.
He said: "I knew the 'movie-like' escapes where you survive aren’t real."
Zelenyi and his fellow troop found a car with the plan of reaching Azovstal.
An explosion hit them, resulting in the marine's friend being killed - but Zelenyi made it out alive.
He said he crawled into a nearby building and passing out, but when he awoke he realised it was a looted building.
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Zelenyi ripped out his own tooth while in the basementCredit: Twitter/@VolodyaTretyak16
Zelenyi spoke of his horrific time living in a basement with CRAF MediaCredit: Twitter/@VolodyaTretyak16
An apartment building explodes after a Russian army tank fires in MariupolCredit: APZelenyi dressed in civilian clothes before making his way back to his apartment that was "damaged but still standing," with most people in the basement who he decided to join.
A man came into the shelter looking for help, claiming his house was on fire and his family was inside.
Those recovering in the shelter, including Zelenyi, rescued the man's children and wife.
When Zelenyi left, the man thanked him before he walked up the stairs.
Here he lifted his head and was greeted by the barrel of a Russian soldier's gun - "those collaborating with Russian forces were permitted to loot," Zelenyi said.
As Zelenyi was being brutally beaten by the Russians - who he found out were the DNR forces - he witnessed them carrying out his possessions, from his XBox to his bike.
Zelenyi was captured and taken to an unknown location.
Here he believed he was to die immediately after one Russian suggested shooting him, but another said to take him to the boss.
They accused Zelenyi of being with the specialist Azov Brigade which he denied before repeatedly telling them he was a marine.
This resulted in his teeth getting shattered after being hit in the face with a rifle butt.
Zelenyi was taken to a house that served as their HQ where he was told he had been sentenced to execution.
He said: "I thought to myself, 'For what?'"
Zelenyi along with other Ukrainian prisoners chosen for execution were marched to an abandoned church in Mariupol where they were "made to kneel" and began shooting them "one by one".
He added: "I thought, 'So, this is it. Life doesn’t flash before your eyes - it just ends like this.'"
But the Russians stopped at the person before Zelenyi and forced them to load the dead bodies into the truck before taking them back for execution.
At this point Zelenyi thought he was already dead.
Zelenyi was spared and, upon arriving back at the HQ, was taken from the basement to the second floor.
He said: "By my estimation, I was there for 3–4 weeks. They tied me up, though not very tightly, and eventually left."
Zelenyi saw this as his only chance to escape.
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Service members of pro-Russian troops fire from a tank during fighting in Ukraine-Russia conflict near the Azovstal steel plantCredit: Reuters16
Russian servicemen frisk Ukrainian servicemen as they are being evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plantCredit: EPA16
An aeriel view shows an armoured vehicle shoot rounds next to a building, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, in Maripuol in 2022Credit: ReutersThe defender explained: "I thought long and hard but eventually took the chance. I removed the tape from a shattered window and climbed down from the second floor.
"I thought, 'If I tell anyone, they won’t believe me.'"
Zelenyi again was close to being captured after civilians recognised him as a prisoner and threatened to call someone, with another who held him down and said he needed to be punished.
The marine hit him and managed to escape.
With his passport and watch in hand, Zelenyi hid in a yard and plotted his next move - but he knew he wanted to reach the Azovstal plant.
DNR forces were stationed everywhere, according to Zelenyi, who had to successfully pass by sniffer dogs and Russian troops to continue his journey, which he said felt like "some surreal movie - a Kubrick film or something".
Zelenyi witnessed first-hand just how devastating Russia's invasion of Ukraine had been, with bodied laying in the street missing arms and legs.
The marine said he also saw "a pile of bodies, both civilians and soldiers" alongside destroyed equipment.
He and another man going in the same direction joined together and the pair managed to reach the left bank - but it was no longer under Ukrainian control.
Zelenyi went five days without eating anything - the only food he fond was a can of dog food which he had and drank water from puddles.
DNR forces were stood at an intersection evacuating people, but Zelenyi could see they wee taking them to a school where filtration processes were happening - so he went and hid in a basement he was led to by someone he knew.
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Here, Zelenyi remained hidden and began attempting to sort out his injuries and pain that had been inflicted on him from being held captive.
He said he found pliers which he used to pull out a tooth that had been broken during captivity that was cutting into his gums.
And the marine also attempted to stitch up a wound on his leg, adding that it "wasn't as simple as it looks in movies".
Zelenyi still hadn't eaten a meal in a long time either, resulting in "unbearable" hunger.
He then began to eat various animals, from pigeons to dogs.
Zelenyi explained: "Pigeons were often too stunned by the fighting to fly, so they were easy to catch.
"Dogs came on their own, and it was not good as it could draw too much attention.
"I gathered rotten potatoes and other spoiled food. Caught pigeons and dogs.
"Pigeons were better - like small chickens. I lit small fires and lived off that."
Zelenyi remained in the ruined basement for half a year "in despair" - worried sick about his friends and family and attempted to devise plans to escape.
He would only have 40 minutes of sleep as he had to be "constantly alert," while he "gathered some old mattresses, grew a huge beard, injured [his] knee, and ended up walking with a stick."
The marine also "spent hours" scavenging at a "big dumpster" to find any way to keep warm.
Due to the long amount of time Zelenyi had already spent living in such dire conditions, he began to adapt, eating once a day and filtering rainwater with a homemade filter.
He said: "I sat there thinking about escape plans but realized they were all nonsense. I wasn’t some kind of commando, plus I had tattoos.
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Smoke rises above Azovstal steelworks, in Mariupol, UkraineCredit: Reuters16
A cat walks next to a tank of pro-Russian troops in front of an apartment building damaged during Ukraine-Russia conflictCredit: Reuters16
Service members of pro-Russian troops fire a BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launch system during fighting in Ukraine-Russia conflict near a plant of Azovstal Iron and Steel WorksCredit: Reuters"They checked tattoos carefully, and someone might’ve already given away my name, which would’ve made identifying me easy."
Over time, resources like food began to be more available as Russia began distributing humanitarian aid and someone helped sharing their rations.
And eventually the Russians "established their network" and started giving SIM cards linked to passports which Zelenyi managed to obtain.
Zelenyi explained that he got a phone but had no signal in the basement so riskily had to go up to the attic to get internet.
He said: "I went online but couldn’t remember any passwords or numbers. Out of fear, I was sweating as I tried to connect.
"My Instagram was flooded with messages. I wondered, who should I contact? Soldiers from Mariupol? Probably not civilians, as someone might’ve been compromised."
As Zelenyi began reaching out to family and friends, they believed he was scamming them, so they asked him various verification questions.
Once it was clarified that it was Zelenyi messaging, his contacts sent him "a brief summary" of the news and the terrifying situation.
It was then he realised he couldn't leave Mariupol on foot as the front line was 80 kilometres away.
Soon winter was on its way and the basement "became colder and damper" and rats tried to eat Zelenyi's already-scarce food supplies.
He spent New Year's of 2023 in the basement.
The Ukrainian Navy then reached out to Zelenyi with a "highly secret plan" - warning that there was only a 1 per cent chance it would be successful - but the marine knew staying in the basement "was not an option".
Zelenyi said: "I took the risk and, on February 13, 2023, reached Ukrainian-controlled territory.
"It took four days and over 1,000 kilometers. Even now, I can’t believe I’m out. I’ll never stop thanking the Navy for this."
After the miraculous escape, Zelenyi initially found it hard to adjust, forgetting that food was easy to access and spend "four hours in a supermarket just staring at all the food".
The marine still lives with the trauma he experienced, explaining that "some wounds never heal" - from sleep issues, to problems with communication and "limited mobility" in his shoulder.
He believes he was lucky because he cared for stray cats during his time in captivity, saying that "people laugh, but I believe I earned some 'luck points' from that".
Zelenyi said it was his military history and preparation as well as his knowledge of Mariupol that helped to keep him alive.
READ MORE SUN STORIESBut the marine said the most important thing was discipline.
Zelenyi said: "Discipline kept me alive. Motivation runs out, but discipline keeps you going."
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Cats are pictured in front of a destroyed apartment building in the city of MariupolCredit: AFP16
A multispectral view of fires in an industrial area of the Primorskyi district in western MariupolCredit: AFP16
Damaged buildings and vehicles after shelling in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol under the control of Russian military and pro-Russian separatistsCredit: Getty
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