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Ukrainian Drone Units Forced Over 100 Russian Soldiers to Surrender This Winter, Video
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
More than 100 Russian soldiers surrendered after encounters with Ukrainian drone units during the winter of 2026, according to Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
Fedorov reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators have increasingly documented cases in which Russian troops lay down their weapons after being approached or monitored by drones.
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The footage shows drone operators maintaining visual control while guiding the surrendering soldiers toward Ukrainian positions.
“We record on video how Russian soldiers surrender to Ukrainian drones. UAV operators escort them to our positions,” Fedorov said.
We capture on video how Russian soldiers surrender to 🇺🇦 drones. UAV operators guide them to our positions.
— Mykhailo Fedorov (@FedorovMykhailo) March 7, 2026
This winter, more than 100 occupiers laid down their arms thanks to the work of unmanned units. Every captured occupier is an opportunity to bring our defenders home. pic.twitter.com/OqKmrmIeFq
According to the minister, more than 100 Russian servicemen surrendered during the winter months as a result of operations conducted by Ukraine’s drone units. “This winter, more than 100 occupiers laid down their weapons thanks to the work of unmanned units,” Fedorov said.
He noted that captured soldiers are important for future prisoner exchanges with Russia. “Each such prisoner is an opportunity to bring our defenders home,” he added.
In several documented cases, drone operators maintained visual contact with surrendering troops and directed them toward Ukrainian lines until ground forces could take them into custody.
One such incident occurred in late January. A Ukrainian ground combat robot has been used to capture Russian troops during a frontline operation. Ukrainian defense company DevDroid reported that its Droid TW-7.62 unmanned ground vehicle, operated by Ukraine’s 3rd Separate Assault Brigade in the Lyman direction, forced three Russian soldiers to surrender during a mission conducted without exposing Ukrainian personnel to direct fire.
Earlier, five Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukrainian forces on the North-Slobozhanskyi axis after a Ukrainian drone broadcast a warning urging them to lay down their weapons. According to Ukraine’s 158th Separate Mechanized Brigade, two captured Russian servicemen persuaded three others hiding nearby to surrender as well, while Russian commanders reportedly opened fire on one of their own troops attempting to give up.
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