A Russian court has sentenced Roman Ivanishin, a soldier from Sakhalin, to 15 years in a maximum security prison for surrendering to Ukrainian forces, Russian pro-state media outlet Kommersant reported on April 15, citing an undisclosed source.
The case marks the first known conviction in Russia for voluntary surrender during the full-scale war against Ukraine.
The Russian messaging is pretty clear: fight to the death, or die in prison. Your choice.
Or “if you’re going to surrender, you might as well defect while you’re at it”. Though sucks to be them if Ukraine would rather exchange them for their own prisoners.
Is it possible for them to ask Ukraine if they can stay as an anonymous PoW?