Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are quickly becoming one of the more versatile tools to modern militaries. They can perform reconnaissance, attack targets and defend positions. Now, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are teaching Russian soldiers how to surrender to a drone.
The Ukrainian army recently released an instructional video, which lays out a step-by-step process of how Russian soldiers can lay down their arms, call a drone and leave the fighting behind. The video is part of Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” project, which is a hotline Russians can call when they don’t want to fight for Russia anymore.
The video, narrated in Russian, tells soldiers they should first contact the hotline to arrange a time and place to surrender. Then, go to that meeting location and wait for the drone. Once the drone makes contact, follow it to the nearest Ukrainian soldier, and receive treatment in accordance with the Geneva convention.
According to the narrator, the goal of the video is to make the surrendering process safer.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian leadership is hoping a new weapons shipment from the U.S. will make things safer inside Ukraine. The Biden administration will reportedly send Ukraine the most advanced defense missiles in the U.S. arsenal, the Patriot Air Defense System.
Ukraine has been asking for Patriot missiles since the war began. The U.S. initially denied the request because it said U.S. troops would need to go to Ukraine to operate the system.
Obviously, that doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. It looks like Ukraine will finally get the Patriot system now that Russia is focusing much of its efforts on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
Just like HIMARS were a game changer for Ukraine’s offensive capabilities, Patriot missiles will be a game changer for the defense of Ukraine. The Patriot is an advanced, long-range air defense system. It’s great at detecting and intercepting armed drones, and of course, ballistic and cruise missiles.
For the last few weeks, Russia’s barrage on Ukrainian infrastructure and power grid has wreaked havoc on civilian life. Blackouts are common now, but as the temperature drops further, they could be deadly. Which is why Ukraine’s president said generators are now just as necessary in Ukraine as armored vehicles and defense systems.
Reuters contributed to this report.
