Ukrainian special forces have captured 102 Russian soldiers in the Kursk region, according to reports from Ukrainian media outlets Ukrainska Pravda, UNIAN, and Hromadske, citing sources within the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).
This operation is reportedly the largest mass capture of Russian soldiers in a single day since the start of the full-scale war.
The captured soldiers are said to be members of the 488th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces and the "Akhmat" unit.
Photos of their capture have been published by Ukrainian media and the "I Want to Live" project, an initiative overseen by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate.
Photo: UNIAN on Telegram
The SBU’s Special Operations Center "A" is credited with capturing the soldiers during an assault on a heavily fortified Russian stronghold in the Kursk region.
The Ukrainian forces reportedly overcame a complex network of underground bunkers, fortified positions, and facilities for personnel, which included a canteen, armory, and even a bathhouse. Despite being well-supplied with provisions and ammunition, the Russian soldiers ultimately surrendered.
Photo: NEXTA on X
A video shared by the "I Want to Live" project shows Russian soldiers lying on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs. The video claims that these soldiers were abandoned by their commanders and decided to surrender.
On August 14, Oleksandr Syrsky, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, confirmed that more than 100 Russian soldiers had been taken prisoner in the Kursk region since the beginning of the day.
This development follows reports from the start of the Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk region on August 6, where Russian conscripts guarding the state border were reportedly captured.
Further evidence of captured soldiers emerged on August 11, when the "I Want to Live" project released a video showing several dozen Russian prisoners, including members of the Akhmat special forces.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also commented on the capture.
He stated that hundreds of Russian servicemen had surrendered in the Kursk region and would receive "humane treatment", something he claimed they did not even receive within their own ranks.
In response to the situation, Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmitry Lubinets reported that Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova had contacted him regarding the prisoners.
Lubinets emphasized that Ukrainian forces are adhering to the Geneva Convention by treating the captured soldiers humanely and are also providing humanitarian aid to local residents in the Kursk region, with plans to open evacuation corridors if needed.
