Russia claimed its troops have gained a significant advantage in the war after two Ukrainian soldiers who allegedly surrendered provided valuable insights into their army.

The two Ukrainian soldiers are said to have shared their experiences at the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) after they were taken captive at the Zaporizhzhia front in southeast Ukraine.

One of them, a former fisherman from thecity of Vilkovo, near the Odesa region in Ukraine, allegedly revealed he was mobilised formilitary service in April 2023.

In a statement relayed by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, he said: 'I was brought to Zaporizhia and sent to the front line on November 21.

'Almost immediately, I ended up in captivity.'

Meanwhile, the other fighter, from the Ukrainian city of Khmelnytskyi, said he worked as a builder before he joined the Ukrainian army in January 2023.

He explained that the training as a machine gunner did not properly prepare him for the harsh realities of the battlefield and that they rarely had the opportunity to practice shooting.