Russian soldiers offered Bitcoin in exchange for white flag

Russian soldiers surrendering to Ukraine will receive 5 million rubles worth of crypto or cash, according to Masha Efrosinina, local TV host and honorary ambassador of the United Nations Population Fund in Ukraine. 

Fast facts

See related article: Ukraine’s crypto demand soars; Russian sanctions tighten

• Efrosinina said in an Instagram post that surrendering soldiers of the Russian military will receive 5 million rubles (US$60,000) in cryptocurrency or fiat, and an amnesty after trial. 

• The offer comes from The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the global IT community, according to Efrosinina.
• According to the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S., a Russian platoon that surrendered on Feb. 24 was unaware that they were being sent to kill Ukrainians. 

• Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a “special military operation” on Thursday, leaving at least 240 civilian casualties and at least 64 dead, according to the United Nations. 

• Cryptocurrencies have been a popular instrument to provide financial aid to the defending nation, with the Ukrainian government collecting over US$9.5 million in crypto donations via Bitcoin, Ether and USDT, as of press time. 

See related article: Russia unlikely to turn to crypto if SWIFT sanction is imposed