Russian Soldier Surrenders to Ukrainian FPV Drone

Soldiers from Ukraine’s 13th Operational Brigade of the National Guard, known as Khartiia, captured a Russian soldier using an FPV drone, the brigade’s press service reported.

In a video published by the unit, a Russian serviceman is seen spotting the approaching FPV drone.

He discards his weapon and signals his intent to surrender.

The Khartiia members then remotely guided him out of the tree line using the drone.

Surveillance was later taken over by a Mavic drone, which continued to monitor the surrender.

This is not the first time Russian soldiers have surrendered to Ukrainian drones. The brigade noted that soldiers typically respond to DJI Mavic drones or similar models, not FPV drones, making this case unusual.

A similar incident occurred in 2024 on the Kharkiv front line. Khartiia soldiers located a wounded Russian soldier abandoned by his unit.

A Ukrainian drone dropped water and a note with surrender instructions. The drone pilot then directed the soldier to safety, where Ukrainian forces captured and treated him.

The captured soldier was given water, received medical aid, and was evacuated in an Oncilla armored vehicle.

He was later sent to a detention center for enemy combatants and eventually exchanged for a Ukrainian prisoner of war.

• The National Guard of Ukraine has since expanded the Khartiia Brigade into a full corps, consisting of five brigades:
  3rd Operational Brigade Spartan
• 4th Operational Brigade Rubizh
• 13th Operational Brigade Khartiia
  17th Poltava Brigade Raid
• 18th Slovyansk Brigade

These units continue to play an active role in Ukraine’s defense against Russian forces.