At least two Russian soldiers were killed and dozens others injured after Ukrainian civilians allegedly gave them poisoned cake and alcohol near Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian intelligence officials.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate posted on Facebook on Saturday that two soldiers died and 28 were taken to intensive care after being fed the poisoned cakes in the town of Izium. About 500 other Russian soldiers have been hospitalized with severe alcohol poisoning “of unknown origin,” the Post added.
According to Ukrainian officials, the troops came from the Russian 3rd Motor Rifle Division. According to the Post, the Russian government is reportedly writing the incident off as “non-combat casualties.”
The current health status of those who have been hospitalized is not known at this time.
Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry for further comment and will update this story with any responses.
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Since Russia first invaded Ukraine on February 24, there have been multiple stories of Ukrainian civilians taking up arms or using other means to subdue enemy troops. Early on, the Ukrainian government urged citizens to train and make Molotov cocktails for the necessary fight. In one case, a local brewer in Lviv switched completely from making beer to making the homemade combustible bombs.
Other videos show Ukrainian civilians confronting armed soldiers or standing in front of Russian tanks to block their advance. Last month, a grandmother in Kyiv claimed to have knocked out a Russian drone by throwing a jar of pickled tomatoes at it, Insider reported.
The country’s fierce resistance has prevented Russian troops from successfully capturing a major city. On Saturday, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister announced that the capital Kyiv is now completely free of Russian troops after more than five weeks of fighting in the region.
Nonetheless, the invasion of Russia has resulted in widespread destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages, forcing millions of civilians to flee their homes. The United Nations has reported that over 1,200 Ukrainian civilians have been killed so far, but experts expect the real number to be much higher.
Ukrainian civilians reportedly killed two Russian soldiers and injured dozens more with poisoned cakes and alcohol. As fighting enters its sixth week, a funeral procession for a fallen Ukrainian soldier is seen making its way to the cemetery in Rusyn, Ukraine, April 3. Joe Raedle/Getty Images
This weekend, Ukraine’s defense ministry also accused Russian troops of “arbitrarily” executing civilians in the city of Bucha, northwest of Kyiv. According to reports, civilians were shot dead with their hands tied behind their backs, while bodies were found in yards, cars and on the street. According to Human Rights Watch, a global advocacy group, Russian troops are also said to have raped and killed women and children.
The United States and other Western officials have condemned Russia’s actions, with several lawmakers calling the allegations “war crimes” and calling for more sanctions against Moscow.
As fighting enters its sixth week, delegates from the two nations have yet to agree on the terms of ending the war.
A Ukrainian official suggested on Saturday that face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could soon take place in Turkey. However, Russia was quick to reject the idea, and chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky stated that the countries remained too divided on key issues.