[NTDTV, Beijing, February 25, 2022]After Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, the sovereign state, he was severely sanctioned and strongly condemned by the international community. Many Russians also expressed their opposition to war. Soldiers from a Russian platoon surrendered in Ukraine saying they did not know they were sent to kill, according to Ukrainian military sources.
The commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Valeriy Zaluzhny, said a platoon of invading Russian soldiers had surrendered in the face of “total resistance” by Ukrainian troops. But no specific figures were disclosed.
In a statement released by the Ukrainian military on Thursday afternoon, the platoon’s commander said he only learned of the invasion on Wednesday and thought they would return home.
“No one thought we were going to kill people. We were not going to fight, we were going to gather information,” said the commander, known as Konstantin Buynichev.Click here for a photo of Commander Bunichev.）
Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, reiterated the Ukrainian military’s claims at a news conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
“Just before I came here, we got word from our commander-in-chief that a platoon of the 74th Motorized Infantry Brigade from the Kemerovo region of Russia had surrendered,” Markarova said. Not knowing that they were brought to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians, they thought they were there to do something else.
Markarova added that the morale of the Ukrainian army is high. She called on leaders of the free world to form an “anti-Putin coalition” to stop Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
On the other hand, Major General Igor Konashenkov, spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry, also said on Friday that more than 150 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered during the hostilities.
Russian celebrities make anti-war statements
“Fear and pain. Against war,” Financial Times Moscow bureau chief Max Seddon tweeted on Thursday.
Singer Maxim Galkin, husband of Russian pop diva Alla Pugacheva, tweeted: “Since early morning, I have been talking to friends and relatives from Ukraine! I am looking for There are no words to describe how I feel!”
Seddon replied: “How acceptable! There is no reason for war! Against war!”
Pop singer Svetlana Loboda wrote: “My heart is broken. I have been in contact with my loved ones since 5am. How is this possible?”
“Lord, stop this! I just keep crying,” Seddon responded.
According to Business Insider, Russia has begun arresting anti-war protesters, Russian celebrities who, to be exact, risked their lives to speak out.
(Comprehensive report by reporter Li Zhaoxi/responsible editor: Lin Qing)
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