Featured Image Credit: Alamy/Facebook
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, Politics, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky
Dominic Smithers
Topics: Ukraine, Russia, Politics, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky
A Russian soldier has surrendered in return for £7,500 and Ukrainian citizenship.
The troop, known only as 'Misha', is said to have become disillusioned with the cause and begged Ukraine's government to take him in.
According to Viktor Andrusiv, an adviser to the head of Ukraine’s interior ministry, the man met with the military to surrender and hand over his tank earlier this month.
In a post to Facebook, he explained that there were a number of Russian troops who had handed themselves over to Ukraine since the war began in February.
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Andrusiv said that police have been monitoring mobile phones being used by Russian forces, and sending targeted messages explaining how they can best surrender.
He wrote: "Misha called us a few days ago. We passed information about him to the GUR military intelligence.
"A meeting point was designated. As he approached, a drone monitored the area to make sure this is not an ambush set-up. After that, our spec-ops forces detained him.
"It turned out that his tank crew mates had fled home, leaving him behind. He saw no point in continuing to fight."
The advisor went on: "Misha also told us that they were practically out of food stocks, while the management of their unit was chaotic and almost non-existent.
"Demoralization levels are enormous. As for Misha, he has received rather comfortable conditions. He will also receive $10,000 after the war ends, as well as the opportunity to apply for citizenship."
He added that the man would be looked after until the end of the war.
This comes after captured what has been described as one of Russia's most advanced electronic warfare systems.
The Krasukha-4 command module is designed to jam signals from satellites, missiles and drones and to protect Russian units from surveillance systems.
Ukrainian forces came across it in a woodland near Kyiv.
Photos shared on social media recently show the large green unit covered in what appears to have been a hasty attempt by Russia troops to camouflage it.
According to The Telegraph, the Krasukha-4 is set to be taken to US Air Force's Ramstein Air Base in Germany before being flown the States.
Once there, it will undergo analysis by the US government in the hope of gathering much needed intelligence on Russian movements and plans.
Military veteran and intelligence expert Justin Crump said it was one of a number of 'goodies that have been recovered on the battlefield'.
"It shows how scattered the fighting is and the lack of communications on the Russian side," he told The Times.
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