A Russian soldier allegedly surrendered his tank to Ukraine, claiming his military bosses’ war campaign was too “chaotic” and that he’d rather take up the Ukrainians’ offer for resettlement than continue fighting.
The soldier will eventually receive $10,000, a comfortable place to live and a chance to apply for citizenship, a Ukrainian official said.
“The Russians are giving up!” Victor Andrusiv, Ukraine’s Minister of Internal Affairs, recently wrote on Facebook in a post translated to English.
Andrusiv said Ukraine has been sending Russia soldiers SMS messages telling them how to surrender and where to hand over their military gear.
“A few days ago, ‘Misha’ called us,” he wrote, appearing to use an alias for the Russian soldier.
Misha pulled up in a tank and was the only one left in his unit, Adrusiv claimed.
A Russian soldier has allegedly surrendered his tank to Ukraine.Twitter
The Russian soldier surrendered his tank, saying that the military campaign was too “chaotic.”Iryna Rybakova/Press service of the Ukrainian Ground Forces/Handout via REUTERS
The Russian soldier will eventually receive $10,000, a comfortable place to live and a chance to apply for Ukrainian citizenship.Felipe Dana/AP
Ukraine has been sending Russia soldiers SMS messages telling them how to surrender and where to hand over their military gear.Irina Rybakova/Press service of the Ukrainian Ground Forces/Handout via REUTERS
“The rest escaped home,” the Ukrainian minister said. “He didn’t see the point of war…Misha said that there was almost no food left, military management is chaotic and practically absent. Demoralization is a serious reality.”
Adrusiv said soldiers detained Misha in a “very comfortable” set-up and that he will now get $10,000 when the war ends and the chance to apply to be a Ukrainian citizen. The minister’s story has not been independently verified, and Adrusiv did not provide the exact day or the location where the exchange allegedly occurred.
“Until the war ends, he will live in comfortable conditions with a TV, phone, kitchen and shower,” Adrusiv said.
Ukraine has released videos of captured Russian troops crying as they apologized for killing Ukrainians. Vadim Ghirda/AP
NATO estimated last week that 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the war began a month ago.
Ukraine has released videos of captured Russian troops crying as they apologized for killing Ukrainians and admitting that the invasion ordered by Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, was a “terrible mistake.”
