This morning, news reports show the convoy of Russian tanks and heavy artillery outside Kyiv that was stopped, has now begun to disperse into nearby towns and forests in the direction of Kyiv, and sources say the Russian army is close enough to attack. It’s not a hopeful scene. However, an outside view of the Russian army as united, may be misleading, as several reports, photos, and videos have emerged, showing Russian soldiers surrendering and voicing their opposition to the war. And as these Russian soldiers are received by Ukrainians, many are being treated with care, as one viral video depicts a Russian soldier receiving food, a warm drink, and even being able to call his mother from a generous Ukrainian’s phone.
Video of Russian Soldiers Surrendering and Being Receive by Ukrainians With Care
To many of us watching everything play out on the other side of the world, we may feel like it is an “Us versus Them” situation. The civilians impacted, and the many horrible images have us sad and angry and wanting to do something—especially as we see Russia succeeding in some of their efforts, such as Michael Schwirtz, New York Times journalist in Ukraine reported, “Kherson has fallen to the Russian military, becoming the first major Ukrainian city to come under Russian control since the invasion last week.”
We may be tempted to demonize all Russians, or at least Russian soldiers because of their participation in these evil efforts by Putin to take over Ukraine. But many Ukrainians are not looking at their fellow humans exactly like that. They’re seeing Russian soldiers surrendering, and they’re taking them in. And this Facebook photo, screenshotted from a viral video, gives a picture of some of the good that is occurring between the Ukrainians and the Russian soldiers surrendering in this war.
With nearly 8,000 shares in one week, Facebook user, Tim Palmer, points out that this is the kind of action that Christians are called to. He quotes Matthew 25:35-40:
“35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
The viral video shows the Ukrainians doing many of the things Jesus speaks of in Matthew 25:35-40. They gave him hot tea and some food. And the Ukranian with purple hair even allowed the Russian soldier to use her phone to call his mother and video chat with her. It shows him crying as she speaks to him through the phone. He blows her a kiss and converses with her. Watch the interaction here:
Many are moved by this interaction between the Ukrainians and the crying Russian soldier. One Ukrainian captured in a video voiced his understanding of the Russian soldiers surrendering, were often forced or unaware of what exactly they were doing. He said, “These young men, it’s not their fault. They don’t know why they are here.”
And this video does not depict the only Russian soldiers surrendering in Ukraine…