Zelenskyy urges Russian troops to surrender: ‘What are you fighting for?’

As Russia steps up its conscription of citizens, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged troops to surrender to his country’s forces.In his nightly address, he said: “What is Russia fighting for? Every citizen of Russia knows – even if many do not admit it, they know for sure – that it is Russia that brings evil.”Ukraine guarantees every Russian soldier who surrenders three things. 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 third, if you are afraid to return to Russia and do not want an exchange, we will find a way to ensure this as well.”

On Instagram, he wrote: “Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians – they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured.

“Your government does not care who will take these places. Either young IT specialists who did not serve at all, or pensioners who served only in the Soviet army.”

He added: “It is better to run away from criminal mobilisation than to be crippled and then bear responsibility in the court for participating in the war of aggression. It is better to surrender to Ukrainian captivity than to be killed by the strikes of our weapons.”