Russian Soldiers Who Lay Down Arms Offered $45,000 Worth Of Crypto

Ukraine has promised 5 million rubles ($45,000) worth of cryptocurrencies as a peace offering to Russian soldiers who lay down their arms, a local TV host said in an Instagram post Sunday.

TV anchor Masha Efrosinina, who is also an honorary ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine, clarified in her video that Russian soldiers opting for the peace offering would also get amnesty after trial. The soldiers can also opt for fiat currency instead of crypto if it suits them.

According to Efrosinina, the offer comes from Ukraine's Ministry of Defense and the global IT community.

In her video, Efrosinina claimed that interested Russian soldiers and units would have to halt all acts of war crime in order to surrender. Then, they would have to surrender or destroy all military equipment they are carrying. The soldiers would also have to display a white flag to showcase their intention of surrendering.

Apart from the 5 million rubles worth of cryptocurrency, Efrosinina said the Ukrainian government would provide all surrendering soldiers legal protection, as well as an opportunity to build a new life in Ukraine.

Earlier, a hackers group that goes by the name Anonymous offered Russian troops 5 million rubles worth of crypto for each surrendered tank. The Russian troops were advised by Anonymous to surrender with a white flag. The group previously claimed they hacked Russian TV satellites to play Ukrainian folk songs during primetime.

Cryptocurrencies have had an instrumental role in funding Ukraine's resistance against Russia.