The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, has offered guarantees to Russian soldiers who surrender to Ukrainian forces.
In a speech on the night of September 24, which he delivered in Russian, Zelensky called on Russians to avoid partial military mobilization of their country.
“Ukraine guarantees three things for every Russian soldier who surrenders. First, you will be treated in a civilized manner, in accordance with all conventions. Second, no one will know the circumstances of your surrender, no one in Russia will know that your surrender was voluntary. And thirdly, if you are afraid to return to Russia and do not want an exchange, we will find a way to guarantee this,” he stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 21 announced military mobilization to bolster the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and after Russian forces suffered losses on the battlefield.
On September 24, he signed amendments that toughened penalties for Russians who voluntarily surrender or refuse to fight, making these actions punishable by 10 years in prison.