Ukrainian troops persuaded Russian soldiers to surrender by playing them a message from a drone, report says

Sophia AnkelOct 4, 2023, 20:15 IST

Business Insider

A Ukrainian serviceman launches a drone during a press tour in the Zhytomyr Region, northern Ukraine on September 20, 2023. Kirill Chubotin / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Ukraine persuaded troops to surrender with a drone, the The Wall Street Journal said.
The troops surrounded the soldiers in a house then flew the drone to play a message, per the report.

Ukrainian troops persuaded Russian soldiers to surrender by playing them a voice message with a drone, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The report, published on Tuesday, outlined in detail the fight for the frontline village of Andriivka in the eastern Donetsk region, which was recaptured by Ukrainian soldiers in September.

Soldiers of Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade told The Journal that after they had retaken most of the village on September 14, some Russian soldiers were still hiding in a house.

The Ukrainians wanted the soldiers alive so that they could later exchange them for their own comrades, so decided to send them a message, they said.

A battalion commander in the brigade with the call sign Slip told The Journal that he recorded an audio message and flew a drone carrying a speaker over to the house.

"Russian servicemen … We're offering you the chance to surrender," Slip said in the recording, according to The Journal. He told the that two of their commanders were already killed and if they gave themselves up within 10 minutes, they would be treated fairly.If they declined, he said, "We'll destroy you."Shortly after the message was delivered, three Russian soldiers emerged from their hideout, walking with their hands up, The Journal reported. But as they walked towards them, a Russian mortar landed right beside them, killing one instantly. Drone footage shared by the battalion last month showed the moment the mortar hit as the soldiers were moving through the remnants of destroyed buildings.Afterwards, one Russian soldier appears lifeless on the ground, while two more are lying near him with their hands up in apparent submission.The battalion said it believed the strike was a Russian attempt to prevent the surrender.

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Ukrainian troops persuaded Russian soldiers to surrender by playing them a message from a drone, report says