The soldiers reportedly laid down their arms after commanders refused to evacuate them
FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian soldiers ride on a BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle in Donbass, April 2023. © Anatolii Stepanov / AFP
The crews of two Ukrainian BMP-1 infantry combat vehicles have surrendered to Russian troops near the Donbass city of Avdeyevka, news agency TASS reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed Russian security official.
According to the official, a man from one of the platoons of Ukraine’s 110th separate mechanized bridge had radioed Russian troops, requesting “medical assistance for their wounded soldiers” after higher-ups had “declined” to evacuate his unit.
The Ukrainian officer reportedly asked for a safe passage and said that “the remainder of his units would surrender with all of their weapons, including two BMP-1s.”
Overall, 10 soldiers were taken into custody, including some with serious injuries, the Russian official said. The official added that the captured service members were receiving medical aid and were being vetted for complicity in war crimes.
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Russian war correspondent Andrey Rudenko posted a video on Monday evening that allegedly shows Russian soldiers apprehending the crews of Ukrainian BMP-1s. The uniforms worn by the surrendering soldiers have markings similar to the ones used by Ukrainian forces.
Kiev launched its long-anticipated counteroffensive last week, attacking the Russian forces in multiple areas along the frontline. According to Moscow, Ukrainian troops had failed to breach the Russian defenses and did not achieve their goals. Several German-made Leopard 2 heavy tanks and US-made M2 Bradley armored vehicles were destroyed or abandoned during the fighting.
