In the third year of the full-scale war, the bloody and cunning of the russian occupation forces is beyond doubt. They resort to genocide, ecocide, murder of civilians, sexual slavery and executions of prisoners of war... But the enemy special services “outdo themselves” by trying to use teenagers and children fooled by russian propaganda for their own purposes.

At the time of committing a serious crime against the state and people of Ukraine, Volodymyr Markin was 16 years old. He could have become a worthy member of society, developing the country by taking advantage of programs that offered new opportunities in calmer, relatively peaceful regions of Ukraine. They gave him a chance for a new life, away from the combat line. However, he traded his future for the immediate benefits promised by russia's intelligence services.

Markin was born on October 2, 2005 in the city of Bakhmut, Donetsk region. Like most of his peers, he often spent time in the company of his friends, was actively involved in sports and studies. Volodymyr was a first-year student at the Bakhmut Industrial Vocational College, where he studied Finance, Banking and Insurance. He was studying at a state-funded place on a state order from the Ministry of Education of Ukraine.

During russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as the young man claims in one of his interviews, he was in his hometown. At first, he could not believe that a war had broken out in the country he considered his home.

Before the war, according to Volodymyr, most of his friends and family, like himself, took a neutral position towards russia and Ukraine, hoping for possible friendship between the neighboring states in the future. However, with the beginning of the full-scale invasion, most of the residents of Bakhmut from his environment changed their views, switched to a pro-Ukrainian position and condemned Russia for its armed aggression and the outbreak of a bloody war. Volodymyr claims that 90% of his environment supported Ukraine and openly expressed their position. In the same interview, he tries to explain what exactly prompted him to commit the crime:

- What has Ukraine done wrong to you? Why did you choose Russia?

- Ukraine has done nothing wrong to me. I grew up here and consider myself a Ukrainian.

- Then why Russia?

- Because I watched Russian YouTube channels, read their media resources, social networks, and realized that Russia is a very important, powerful geopolitical country. I felt its greatness and chose to be with the stronger ones.

- How did you start working for the enemy? Why did you make this decision?

- I saw a friend of mine, in March 2022, after arriving at the place of deployment of the Ukrainian military, communicating with a curator from the Russian special services in a messenger. I was interested in this.

My friend eventually refused to cooperate with the enemy, explaining that she was afraid of dire consequences, prison, and the prospect of ruining her life. However, after much persuasion from Volodymyr, she did provide him with the contact of a Russian representative.

Cooperation with the Russian special services began in late March 2022 and was accompanied by promises of “golden mountains.” The guy was told about the immediate prospects for the “liberation” of the whole of Ukraine, political asylum in Russia, citizenship, the opportunity to become a cadet in a higher military educational institution, an officer's rank, and, of course, money.

Unfortunately for him, Markin believed the Russians. The teenager collected information, coordinates, photos and videos, which he sent to his contact. The enemy used this data to fire not only at the location of equipment, warehouses and units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which the young man photographed and filmed. Volodymyr also directed the enemy's artillery and MLRS at his home college, where he studied. In total, the teenager is responsible for 16 cases of guiding missiles and artillery.

When asked whether he was aware that civilians, his friends and acquaintances could be injured during the shelling, he answered in the affirmative: “Yes.”

Now 19, Volodymyr Markin was arrested on August 16, 2022, and sentenced under Article 117-1, Part 7 of the Criminal Code to ten years in prison without the right to hold positions performing the functions of the state and local governments for fifteen years.

But the Ukrainian state met the criminal halfway. On July 25, 2024, Markin wrote a statement requesting to be included in the exchange and transferred as a prisoner of war. The relevant Ukrainian authorities granted this application, and the court, on the basis of Article 84-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as at the request of the prosecutor, decided to release him from serving his sentence.

The russian authorities, in turn, were even ready to exchange the young man, but at the last moment they refused to do so. Since then, those who promised Markin a secure life have been in no hurry to exchange their agent, who has returned to a Ukrainian prison and is serving his previously imposed sentence.

If you are still cooperating with the enemy for one reason or another and are doing what Volodymyr was doing, you have a chance to stop this activity under certain conditions. Fill out a special questionnaire on the “I want to join my own” website and follow the instructions clearly.

Do you have information about the activities of enemy agents? Help the Ukrainian Defense Forces and let us know via a special form on the website.