Freedom of Russia Legion Urges Russian Soldiers to Surrender to Ukraine and Switch Sides

On August 16, the Freedom of Russia Legion called on Russian soldiers to surrender or join the legion amid Ukraine’s Kursk incursion.

The Freedom of Russia Legion is a paramilitary unit based in Ukraine, comprised of Russian citizens who oppose Vladimir Putin's regime and its invasion of Ukraine.

“We call on all servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces to voluntarily surrender to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as your comrades did. And for those who wish to continue fighting for a normal future for Russia, there remains an ironclad option to join the Legion. We are ready to communicate with anyone who expresses a desire to aim their weapons at the Kremlin,” the legion wrote.

The statement came amid an ongoing Ukrainian incursion in Russia's Kursk region. On August 12, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy officially announced that Ukraine is carrying out an operation in Russia’s Kursk region.

Recent reports indicate that Ukraine is now in control of 82 settlements, covering 1,150 km² of Russian territory. Zelenskyy also mentioned that hundreds of Russian soldiers have surrendered to Ukrainian forces.