[webmaven]

Most important, while he's perhaps playing to the audience a bit with the more colorful bits that he probably rehearsed in his head, the guy appears completely sincere. Like, really sincere. Like, if-you-can-fake-that-you've-got-it-made levels of sincerity.

If this is in any way a coerced or even prepared statement, the guy deserves an Oscar.

[NoPie]

It isn't faked because I have been to Ukraine and I know that the situation in Ukraine is not like Putin describes.

[webmaven]

Regardless of whether what he's saying is true, it could still in theory be coerced, which is why there is a general prohibition on allowing POWs to make public statements. And while in this case it does not appear as if he is being coerced, allowing him to make a public statement like this isn't a good precedent to set, as the Russians will start trotting out POWs as well.