Lone Russian soldier filmed begging for mercy after his squadron is wiped out

Ukraine: Russian soldier surrenders to drone in Bakhmut

The life of a lone Russian soldier is shown being spared by Ukrainian forces in a newly released video after a fierce battle that annihilated his whole squad.

Sole survivor Ruslan Anitin found himself alone after a harrowing fight on the outskirts of Bakhmut on May 9, which saw Ukrainian drones armed with grenades clearing out trenches and vehicles, reports The Daily Express US.

Standing amid the wreckage of his former comrades, Anitin looked at the drones and made an X-shape with his arms, pleading with them to stop the attack.

In the footage compiled and analyzed by the Wall Street Journal, the Ukrainians are seen showing mercy and allowing him to surrender.

“I felt pity. Despite that he is an enemy, even though he has killed our boys, I still felt sorry for him,” one drone operator told the WSJ.

A video shows the interaction between the drones and the solitary soldier, with Anitin telling the operators to blink their lights once for “yes” and twice for “no”.

Fearfully drawing his hand across his throat and pointing to himself, Anitin gestures to ask whether they will kill him.

But, in a display of humility, the Ukrainians reassure the terrified man his life will be spared and an operator flies a note instructing him to “Follow the drone and you will stay alive.”

Unable to believe his luck, Anitin asks again if he will be killed, and once more the drone confirms his safety by flying side-to-side to indicate that he will not be shot down.

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Trudging through the wreckage of his comrades, Anitin pauses to smoke fellow soldiers’ cigarettes and drink their water as he follows the drone for the half-mile journey to the Ukrainian lines, under the watchful eye of hidden artillery.

Upon arrival, he was bound and taken for interrogation. It is likely that Anitin will be returned to Russia in a prisoner swap.

Anitin told WSJ: “Let them [the Russians] lock me up. I’d like to return home to my family and never experience the sorts of things that I have seen here.”

The video was taken around the town of Bakhmut which was recently captured by Russian forces.

However, as Ukraine launches a broad counteroffensive across the wider front, Kyiv’s forces had some success around the city and were beginning to flank Russian units. Bakhmut has been one of the bloodiest battles of the war.

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