Russian troops surrender near Kurakhove amid heavy losses, says Ukrainian command spokesperson Voloshin
Numerous Russian soldiers reportedly opted for surrender over returning to the front lines, according to Nazar Voloshin, the spokesperson for the Operational and Strategic Group of Forces "Khorytsia."
Voloshin noted that the Russian troops find captivity a preferable alternative, as opposed to being sent back by their commanders to undertake perilous assaults. Over the past week alone, Russian forces have allegedly suffered around 9,000 personnel losses in this sector. Additionally, approximately 50 soldiers surrendered over the last ten days, stated Voloshin during a national news broadcast.
According to Voloshin, a notable number of these Russian soldiers are fresh recruits who prefer to lay down their arms. Faced with stark choices—either annihilation or returning to assault defense positions—they choose captivity. "Captured soldiers mostly include newly mobilized and recently convicted individuals. Some prisoners of war entered captivity within just a month of their sentencing," explained the spokesperson. He briefly commented on the tense situation along critical sectors such as Kurakhove, where intensified confrontations saw 44 Russian attempts to breach Ukrainian defense lines within a day.
Securing the front line is crucial for Russian forces as it could facilitate regrouping and resource consolidation for further offensives. Reinforcements are notably being gathered around Pokrovsk, Kurakhove, and Vremivka, with artillery strikes leading the assaults against Ukrainian positions. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Special Operations Forces reported capturing several Russian marines in the Kursk region, further reporting that members of the 810th Russian Marine Brigade landed in Ukrainian custody.