Zelensky Says Russian Soldiers In Ukraine Are Top 'Suppliers Of Our Army'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Russian soldiers invading his country are the “top suppliers” of Ukraine’s army as many of them flee the fight and abandon weapons as well as equipment three weeks into the attack.

Speaking during an address Tuesday, Zelensky urged Russian troops to consider surrendering, noting that Ukrainians will treat them “as people” despite having joined the “senseless war.”

“If you surrender to our forces, we will treat you the way people are supposed to be treated. As people, decently. In a way you were not treated in your army. And in a way your army does not treat ours,” Zelensky said in the address.

The Ukrainian president noted that many Russian soldiers have abandoned the battlefield and left their weapons and equipment for taking, making them the “top suppliers” of the Ukrainian army.

"They flee the battlefield. They abandon equipment. We take trophies and use them to protect Ukraine. Today, Russian troops are, in fact, one of the suppliers of our army,” Zelensky added.

Nearly a dozen captured Russian soldiers have been, in recent weeks, paraded in news conferences held by the Ukrainian authorities. Some have said that they were not informed about Russia’s invasion plans and were told they were going into a peacekeeping mission.

Russian pilot Maxim Krishtop, who had also been captured during the war, said he had been ordered to bomb enemy military facilities, only to find out later that the targets were residential buildings.

A video showing five Russian soldiers captured by Ukrainian forces in the city of Kharkiv also went viral after the men suggested that they have been tricked into joining the war, adding that Russian commanders told them they were going to Ukraine for training.

"They told us that everything would be fine. We knew nothing. We were deceived and abandoned," one of the soldiers said.

Since the invasion began on Feb. 24, an estimated 1,300 Ukrainian troops have been killed in the war. In comparison, Zelensky said they have killed 12,000 Russian soldiers.

U.S. officials estimated that over 5,000 to 6,000 Russian troops may have been killed during the first two weeks of the invasion.