Additionally, the military supplied photographic evidence of the commander and chief of staff of Russia’s 35th Motor Rifle Brigade’s tank unit following his detention.
Major Schetkin Leonid Petrovich of the Russian Armed Forces was photographed in Ukrainian custody, together with his photo identification, military insignia, and other personal possessions, and the photographs were supplied by Ukraine’s Operational Command North.
The Ukrainian military stated that Petrovich was apprehended during an attack on a Russian tank unit by Ukrainian forces, which Petrovich “miraculously survived.”
Ukraine has now seized the highest-ranking officer from the Russian military captured.
The Ukrainian military posted a video to social media showing multiple burnt tanks in the aftermath of a strike.
On Thursday, the top Ukrainian commander wrote in a statement that “Russian invaders” from Russia’s 74th Motorized Rifle Brigade surrendered to “Ukrainian defenders.”
“Russian invaders, facing the total resistance of Ukrainian defenders, surrender themselves to captivity. Under Chernihiv, a whole intelligence unit of 74 motorcycle rifle brigade surrendered,” the Ukrainian commander stated, adding that the Russian soldiers “thought they would return home” and that they were “collecting information” instead of fighting.
During a press briefing, Ukraine Ambassador Markarova also confirmed the surrender, saying the Russian troops “didn’t know that they were brought to Ukraine to kill Ukrainians. That they thought they were doing something else there.”
As of Saturday, Ukraine claimed to have imprisoned 200 Russian servicemen, claiming the Russian troops surrendered because they did not anticipate Ukraine putting up a fight.
Ukraine stated on Sunday that it had killed 4,300 Russian servicemen in the first three days of the war, destroyed 27 airplanes, 26 helicopters, 146 tanks, and 706 armored vehicles, among other things.
As of Saturday, Ukraine’s health minister said that invading Russian soldiers had killed 198 Ukrainians, including three children, and wounded another 1,000.
According to United Nations authorities, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have fled the country, and an estimated 4 million more could do so if the war continues.
On Saturday, the US Department of Defense stated that it had detected “more than 250 Russian missile launches, principally short-range ballistic missiles” in the preceding 24 hours. Additionally, it stated that more than half of Russia’s 150,000 troops amassed surrounding Ukraine had been mobilized within the country, with the remainder awaiting deployment along the country’s borders.
President Joe Biden authorized $350 million worth of US military hardware to Ukraine on Friday, including anti-armor, small guns, various ammunition, body armor, and similar equipment. The new installment brings the US’s total security assistance to Ukraine to $1 billion in the last year alone.
Over the weekend, Germany also provided Ukraine with anti-tank grenade launchers and stinger missiles.
