“Russian soldiers, spare your lives, surrender!”: it is with these few words that the emergency line on the internet is presented, via the Telegram application, launched by the Ukrainian government in mid-September and called “I want to live”, while kyiv continues to claim new military successes in the eastern and southern parts of its territory.
At the end of the line, 24 hours a day, operators to direct Russian soldiers currently at the front and who wish to desert. In exchange, the Ukrainian army promises them to treat them well by respecting the Geneva convention on prisoners, to give them three meals a day and medical care.
In a video, shaved head, emaciated face, a Russian soldier introduces himself: Anatoli, 20, was sent to Ukraine, to the front, in July. “After three months of training, they sent me to Ukraine, he explains. When I saw the power of enemy fire, I understood that I wanted to live, and I found this channel on Telegram. I found the number and called.”
“They gave me instructions, I spoke to a member of the special forces. There I am taken prisoner. I am in good health. I am fed, bleached, I can take a shower, everything is fine.”
Anatoli, 20, Russian deserterat franceinfo
In a martial tone, on the same application, Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexei Reznikov addresses members of the Russian army directly. “You have been betrayed, he hammers. You were promised a health walk and you fell into a trap. You are paying with your blood for Putin’s fantasies and false goals. Today, he no longer listens to you. Because listening to you would be tantamount to acknowledging your mistakes. And in Moscow, we don’t like the truth very much.”
“Volodymyr Zelesnki, continues Alexei Reznikov, goes to the front, alongside his soldiers, he was in Lyssichansk under the bombs, or even in the liberated Izioum: our president is alongside his army… And where is yours? Many of you have already understood : you were sent to die for no reason. And maybe that’s why your president is hiding in a bunker. He is afraid of your contempt. He is afraid of your hatred.”
“You know that in Ukraine you don’t release anyone, you destroy whole towns, where not so long ago you were considered nice neighbors who spoke Russian.”
Alexei Reznikov, Ukrainian Minister of Defensein a message to Russian soldiers
Messages that hit home among demotivated Russian soldiers: more than 2,000 would have contacted the platform.