Captured Russian bomber pleads with Vladimir Putin 'stop we have already lost war'

13.03.2022 - 16:21 / dailyrecord.co.uk

A captured Russian bomber has pleaded with Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop his invasion of Ukraine, adding, "we have already lost this war".

Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Krishtop became a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down during a bombing raid on March 6.

However, in an embarrassing show for the President, Krishtop begged the Ukrainians for forgiveness, admitting that he had committed "terrible crimes" by fighting in Putin's conflict, The Mirror writes.

Instead, he described the Russian ploy to capture Kyiv as "pointless" and urged his fellow troops to stop fighting.

Lt Col Krishtop said: "The invasion of such a huge city as Kyiv is pointless – it will lead to huge losses of life on both sides, and huge destruction.

"I urge you stop following criminal orders, stop fighting, and stop killing civilians – you can see we have already lost this war."

But the conflict continues to be unrelenting with Russian troops now said to be driving west after wreaking havoc in the east.

Satellite 'before and after' images of the port city of Mariupol show its luscious trees and "beautiful" buildings flattened to a barren wasteland.

Russian troops have been trying to seize it as a tactical move since the start of the conflict, in a bid to strangle the Ukraine economy by controlling key exports.

The eastern city of Mykovail has also been encircled as Putin's forces are now said to be heading towards Odessa in the west.

President Zelensky urged Russian forces to comply with an agreed ceasefire so refugees could safely evacuate.

But the Ukraine intelligence service claimed that these pleas were being ignored as it issued a statement that Russians had shot women and children fleeing for their lives.

It said: "Russians shot a column