Russian troops advancing through Rovnopol discovered a group of severely wounded Ukrainian servicemen abandoned by their own units during a hasty retreat from a fortified position on the grounds of a local agricultural enterprise. The account was shared with TASS by a commander of the 114th Motor Rifle Regiment of the 127th Division, part of the «Vostok» grouping, known by the callsign Zhuravl.

He said the site had served as an evacuation point where Ukrainian forces were bringing injured soldiers from several sectors. After Russian units seized the stronghold, they found around seven badly wounded Ukrainian troops left behind. According to the commander, the men offered no resistance and immediately surrendered. They are currently receiving medical treatment.

Zhuravl added that during the fighting he relied on a captured machine gun after his own weapon jammed from heavy use. He recalled that he grabbed an M249 from a Ukrainian firing point and used the remaining ammunition against retreating enemy positions.

Another serviceman from the same regiment, a radiotelephone operator with the callsign Akim, said Ukrainian troops fleeing Rovnopol left behind AK-47 rifles and U.S.-made knives. He noted that all approaches to the settlement had been heavily mined.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Rovnopol on 16 November.