Russian soldiers abandoned by their units in the eastern Kharkiv region of Ukraine fled in disguises on bicycles following a surprise counteroffensive against them, according to reports by The Washington Post and Financial Times.
When Ukrainian forces liberated the region, which had been occupied by Russian forces since the invasion began in February, Russian regiments in the area began to flee within hours. During the uncoordinated and hurried retreat, troops were left behind, leaving the abandoned soldiers as targets to Ukranian drones.
What Happened: Russian soldiers who were left behind started to panic. Some of the soldiers stole clothing from the locals in order to flee in disguise and some stole bicycles and cars.
"They came into our houses to take clothes so the drones wouldn't see them in uniforms," local resident Olena Matvienko told The Post. "They took our bicycles. Two of them pointed guns at my ex-husband until he handed them his car keys," Matvienko added.
A Ukrainian commander involved in the counterattack, Petro Kuzyk, told Financial Times the Russian soldiers not only left behind tanks and equipment but also meals that were ready just before the Ukranian military arrived.
"We hoped for success but didn't expect such cowardly behavior," Kuzyk told the Times. “They fled like Olympic sprinters," he added.
The Back Drop: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced last week his army had succeeded in reclaiming more than 1,000 square kilometers (385 square miles), liberating more than 30 villages within the area. On Sunday Ukraine’s commander in chief, Valery Zaluzhny, upped that number to more than 3,000 square kilometers (1,100 square miles).
The Ukranian onslaught against the Russians is only the beginning and Ukraine plans to continue moving forward to reclaim all of its territory, including Crimea, which was annexed in 2014.
“We will not be standing still. We will be slowly, gradually moving forward,” Zelenskyy told CNN.
"These days, the Russian army is showing its best — showing its back. And, in the end, it is a good choice for them to run away. There is and will be no place for the occupiers in Ukraine," Zelenskyy said during his Saturday-night address.
Photo: Man on bike (generic), Igor Ovsyannykov from Pixabay
