The southern group reported the capture of 16 AFU soldiers on the Kurakhov direction

The southern grouping on January 11 reported the capture of 16 soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on the Kurakhov direction of the SVO.

"16 AFU soldiers in the Kurakhov direction made a decision to lay down their arms to save their lives," the grouping told TASS.

It is specified that after the offensive of the 110th Guards Brigade of the 51st Guards All-Russian Army and the dropping of leaflets from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) calling for surrender, the AFU soldiers voluntarily fell into captivity.

Earlier, on January 8, it became known about the capture of 18 AFU soldiers near Kurakhovo in the DNR. In addition, the Russian army in this direction repelled three counterattacks of the AFU assault brigades, destroyed a tank, an infantry fighting vehicle, an M113 armored personnel carrier, seven pickup trucks, two artillery pieces and an ammunition depot.

The special operation to protect Donbass, the start of which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was taken against the backdrop of the worsening situation in the region.