A Russian soldier has handed himself and his tank over to Ukrainian troops for a reward of $10,000 (£7,500) and a chance at Ukrainian citizenship.
Misha, one of alleged war criminal Vladimir Putin’s invading soldiers, surrendered in a T-72B3 main battle tank after his two other crewmates escaped home and his commanding officer threatened to shoot him.
Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Victor Andrusiv said Misha had contacted Ukraine’s national police by phone and arranged a place to meet.
He said: ‘For a few weeks in the National Police have identified the phones used by Russians.
‘On these phones, we regularly send SMS about how to surrender and hand over the equipment.
‘A few days ago, Misha called us.
‘We handed over the information about him to the GUR MO [Ukrainian military intelligence].
‘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 colossal.
‘The Russians are giving up!’
The Ukrainian military selected a place for the soldier to surrender and used a drone fitted with a camera to make sure it wasn’t an ambush.
Special forces then detained Misha, who lay face-down on the with his hand up as he surrendered.
Andrusiv added the Russian soldier will spend the remainder of the war as a prisoner in ‘comfortable conditions with a TV, phone, kitchen, and shower’.
Ukrainian state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom previously offered $1 million for the capture of battle-ready Russian aircraft.
It said the offer also applied to Russian troops wanting to switch sides.
Ukroboronprom said: ‘To the pilots of the Russian Federation ready to participate in the programme, we guarantee the issuance of citizenship of a free country!’
The arms manufacturer added it would give $500,000 for every combat helicopter seized from the Russians that could still be used.
Source: Daily Mail
