As Russia's invasion of Ukraine is currently in its third week, hundreds of civilian lives are lost, including men, women, and children, some unborn.
Russia has been facing a massive backlash over its actions not only from across the world but also from its own nationals who have been protesting in thousands on Russian streets since the invasion began on February 24.
The pilots captured by Ukraine were given the opportunity to speak to journalists at the Interfax Ukraine News Agency.
The captured pilots slammed Vladimir Putin's "treacherous invasion" during an emotional press conference on Sunday.
One of the soldiers, Galkin Sergey Alekseevich, said, "I apologise for myself, for my squad to every home to every street to every citizen of Ukraine, to the elderly, to women, to children for our invasion of these lands.
"I gravely apologise for our treacherous invasion.
"To the generalship of our military units, I would like to say one thing - that they've acted cowardly, that they acted traitorously to us."
The 34-year-old, from Roschchinsky, Russia, went on to beg Putin to "stop sending soldiers" to kill in Ukraine.
With his comrades sitting on either side with a microphone in front of him, he urged his country to lay down its arms.
"I would like to say to all regiments of the Russian army - lay down your arms," Alekseevich said.
"And Russian president Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin stop further combat actions.?Stop bombings, stop sending soldiers here to kill civilians, to perform airstrikes."
In intercepted calls to their families, some Russian soldiers said they were being "massacred" in Ukraine.?One soldier broke down on camera and was helped by Ukrainians to call his mother.
Russian forces have also been accused of gunning down women and children - killing seven civilians who were trying to escape a village near Kyiv.
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