Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu says a total of some 6,500 Ukrainian soldiers have surrendered since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.
This information has not been independently verified.
“In the past five days, 126 soldiers of the armed forces of Ukraine have surrendered, their total number is 6489,” Shoigu said on Tuesday morning, speaking about the interim results of the war. The Russian army invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Among the Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered are defenders of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol. Russian authorities previously stated that more than 2400 soldiers were involved.