My military service was a joke - but then I had to use it

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When human rights activist Maksym Butkevych decided to take up arms at the start of the war in Ukraine he was driven by a sense of duty. He went from defending the rights of refugees to becoming a prisoner of war - having his own rights denied in captivity. Maksym spent nearly two and a half years imprisoned, held in jails in Russian-controlled territory in eastern Ukraine. As a unit commander he looked out for the welfare of his fellow prisoners. In the jail they had nothing, but practising English offered an escape. Presenter Asya Fouks Producer Julian Siddle Get in touch: [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 Photo: Maksym Butkevych. Photo credit: Oleksandr Mahula