A Russian soldier has reportedly been killed in a deliberate attack by one of Vladimir Putin‘s drones after he was spotted trying to surrender.
In shocking footage shared on Telegram, the soldier can be seen in the crosshairs of what appears to be an aerial surveillance camera, walking on a lonely road.
At one point, he appears to raise up his hands and turns to continue on the road. But just moments afterwards, he is struck by an object, leading to a huge explosion.
After the fire dies down, smoke is seen emanating from the target’s lifeless body.
Ukraine‘s Defence Forces in the south said that the soldier had ‘realised the hopelessness’ of continuing to fight and was putting down his weapon when a Russian drone dropped explosives on him, killing him instantly.
On Telegram, the Ukrainian command said: ‘Instead of allowing his serviceman to survive, the operator of the enemy drone dropped an on him, instantly ending the life of the soldier who was trying to surrender.’
The post added: ‘This incident is further evidence that the enemy does not value the lives of even its own soldiers and is ready for cruel actions to hide the manifestations of unwillingness to fight among its personnel.’
Ukrainian media have reported that similar incidents have happened before and claimed that Russia is using drones to stop its soldiers from deserting.
Ukraine’s military intelligence service estimates that more than 25,000 Russian soldiers have deserted since the end of 2024.
A huge explosion is seen from the area where Ukrainian forces say a Russian soldier was killed by one of Putin’s drones.
Before he was killed, a video shared on Telegram appeared to show the soldier walking on an abandoned road and raising his hands in surrender
Earlier this year, it was reported that a Russian commander had instructed his soldiers to kill their own men who tried to flee from the frontlines.
Ukraine’s military intelligence said it had intercepted a phone call in which the official had given the command.
He is said to have ordered: ‘There is no way to retreat, no way! No one is retreating anywhere; everyone is standing their ground. If anyone runs away, shoot them.’
‘I’ll say it again, you f*****s: if anyone runs away, just shoot them.’ The agency said the conversation was had from the Donetsk Oblast.
US officials have also warned that entire units were being threatened with death if they tried to pull back.
Ukrainian sources have said mistreatment of Russian soldiers is a key factor driving mass surrenders.
Last week, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had discovered four Russian soldiers handcuffed to a tree and left to die near Lyman after they refused to follow orders. Similar footage last year showed personnel being tied and flogged.
It was claimed that they had been abandoned by their military commanders without food or water after refusing to advance into Ukraine, after their unit was killed while trying to capture territory.
In June, a group of Putin’s men battling in Kursk surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers, telling them that ‘abuse in units is worse than captivity’, according to Ukraine’s Airborne Assault Forces.
A post on its social media read: ‘In their units on the territory of the Russian Federation, they were subjected to inhumane treatment, psychological pressure and threats.
According to an investigation by The Insider last year, Russia was using ‘punishment squads’ to single out soldiers who were found to be abusing alcohol or refusing orders.
They were then subjected to a range of abuse, including beatings and stuffed into ‘confinement pits’.
Last year, a video purported to show Russian troops being taped to a tree and beaten. In June, a group of Putin’s men battling in Kursk surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers, telling them that ‘abuse in units is worse than captivity
Soldiers have also said that ‘barrier troops are used to stop them from leaving the frontlines.
Last year in August, the Ukrainian army said it had accepted the surrender of 102 Russian servicemen and said it was the largest surrender by a single group since the war began in 2022.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has expressed his frustration with the war as Putin struck several cities overnight, killing six people, including two children.
