17 Ukrainian soldiers surrender to Russian fighters (VIDEO)

Footage obtained by RT shows the moment when 17 Ukrainian soldiers surrendered to Russian forces in Donetsk. They decided to lay down their arms after they were ordered to hold their positions without any ammunition, RIA Novosti has reported.

The video, part of which was apparently filmed by a drone, shows the Ukrainian troops walking in single file toward Russian military personnel with their hands up. After being searched, they discarded their bulletproof vests and boarded a truck. The footage also shows several injured Ukrainian soldiers lying on the ground.

According to RIA Novosti, citing Russian security sources, the surrender took place in the vicinity of Donetsk. The media outlet claimed that the Ukrainians had run out of ammunition and had sustained several injuries. Despite this fact, they were reportedly ordered to remain in place, with their commanders refusing to evacuate them.

The media outlet reported that another group of Ukrainian soldiers surrendered in Donetsk late last month, handing over an ammunition crate to Russian troops.

Speaking at a plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that “since June 4 alone, Ukrainian units have already lost over 90,000 people,” noting that this figure included both deaths and incapacitations.

Kiev has also lost 557 tanks and almost 1,900 armored vehicles over the same period, Putin added.

Ukraine launched its counteroffensive at the start of the summer with a series of largely unsuccessful advances along the frontline between Kherson and Donetsk. Kiev’s forces have since managed to make some modest gains but no major breakthrough is in sight.

Several senior Western officials have publicly acknowledged that the counteroffensive has not proceeded as they had hoped, with media reports claiming that the operation has been viewed as a failure in the US and Europe.

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