Ukrainian soldiers swim across the Dnieper River to surrender to Russian troops
A soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine swam across the Dnieper River and surrendered to the Russian army.
According to RIA Novosti on June 10, a source from Russian law enforcement agencies said that a Ukrainian soldier swam across the Dnieper River on a raft made from plastic bottles and surrendered to the Russian army.
"A Ukrainian serviceman swam across the Dnieper with an empty water bottle tied around his body," the source told RIA Novosti.
The Ukrainian soldier said he decided to flee because his brigade was about to be partially rotated towards the Kharkov front in the near future.
Since the beginning of May 2024, Russia has opened a new front in Kharkov, in the Northeastern part of Ukraine, actively advancing deep into the defense lines of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and taking control of a number of strategic villages. At the end of May, the Russian army took control of the village of Ivanovka.
According to the Russian-appointed head of the Kharkov region, Vitaly Ganchev, about 300 km2This area is now under Russian military control.
Meanwhile, on Kiev's side, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 9: "I discussed the general situation with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The important and noteworthy point is that the Russian forces failed in the operation in the Kharkov region. We are holding them back to the maximum extent."
According to Mr. Zelensky, Ukrainian forces were able to overwhelm Russian units entering Kharkiv province. In addition, Kiev is sending reserve troops to reinforce the defense in this area.
