Russian reconnaissance troops captured Ukrainian soldiers in the Kharkiv region without using their weapons, according to a serviceman interviewed by RIA Novosti.

The soldier, known by the call sign Ginseng, serves with the 46th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 11th Army Corps, part of Russia’s Northern Group of Forces. He described how his unit carried out the nighttime operation.

According to Ginseng, the reconnaissance team was holding a combat position when its members noticed movement in dense vegetation nearby. After observing the area more closely, they spotted Ukrainian military insignia on the uniforms of the approaching soldiers. Rather than opening fire, the Russian troops decided to approach them.

The reconnaissance team entered a Ukrainian dugout undetected. Following a brief conversation, the Ukrainian soldiers inside agreed to surrender. Ginseng said the incident demonstrated that military objectives could sometimes be achieved without gunfire if soldiers took time to assess the situation and consider alternative approaches.

He also described a separate incident in which he and another Russian soldier remained concealed just seven meters from a retreating group of 15 Ukrainian troops.

The two reconnaissance soldiers avoided detection and secretly followed the Ukrainian unit to its temporary deployment site. They then passed the location’s coordinates to Russian artillery units and subsequently took part in clearing the fortified position after it had been struck.

Ginseng also emphasized the continued importance of ground reconnaissance despite the widespread use of drones. In his assessment, experienced soldiers observing enemy positions on the ground can identify well-concealed ammunition caches and firing positions more effectively than technological surveillance equipment.