A Ukrainian soldier recently deserted from his unit and surrendered to Russian authorities in the village of Zhuravli, located in Russia's Kursk region.
Appeared Disoriented Requesting Water
The soldier, who approached a local resident for help, was handed over to military police by Yuri Vedrashko, a member of a local volunteer group.
This incident was reported by Alexei Smirnov, the acting governor of Kursk, who also shared a video of Vedrashko recounting the event, according to Lenta.
Vedrashko described how he encountered the soldier, who appeared disoriented and requested water. "He said he was from Ukraine," Vedrashko explained. "I took him to Lgov, where the military post is located, and informed the soldiers that I had caught a saboteur who wanted to surrender."
The Ukrainian soldier revealed that he and his group had been traveling in an armored personnel carrier when they came under fire from Russian forces.
No Desire to Fight
Their vehicle veered into a ditch, and the soldier hid in the bushes overnight before seeking help in the village.
He claimed he had no desire to fight against Russians but was forced into military service after his documents were confiscated and he was issued a military ID.
Earlier, the soldier disclosed that his unit was ordered to enter the Kursk region to film videos for Ukrainian commanders, though he was unaware of any further objectives.
The incident comes amid increased tensions and reported infiltration attempts by Ukrainian forces in Russia’s border regions. Local authorities have heightened security measures as volunteer groups and Russian forces continue to monitor for potential threats.
