This Egyptian came to Russia to study. Now he's a POW in Ukraine

A Russian passport, military benefits, and a fast track to citizenship convinced Egyptian student Mohamed Salah to sign a contract with the Russian army. Within months, he found himself fighting on the front lines of Ukraine, where he was wounded. When he returned to service after recovery, he was captured by Ukrainian forces.

In this interview, the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell speaks with Salah about why he joined the Russian army, what he knew about the war before deploying, and how his views changed after experiencing combat firsthand.