Twelve Russian soldiers have tragically perished and thirty others have been hospitalized after consuming watermelons laced with poison, reportedly distributed by Ukrainian resistance fighters in the occupied city of Mariupol.
Local media sources indicate that the soldiers stationed in Mariupol, part of territories under Russian control, received the tainted fruit from unsuspecting Russian civilians. These civilians had obtained the watermelons from local partisan groups operating within the city.
According to Ukrainian news outlet 24 Kanal, the poisoned watermelons were initially entrusted to Ukrainian resistance fighters, who subsequently passed them on to the Russian troops. The soldiers, unaware of the danger, then sold the fruit to their fellow servicemen.
In response to the incident, a statement attributed to a Ukrainian resistance group was posted, expressing gratitude for the soldiers’ unintended consumption of the poisoned watermelons: “That’s for you, guys! Thank you for protecting us.”
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Pyotr Andryushchenko, an advisor to the exiled mayor of Mariupol, Vadym Boychenko, emphasized the active role of the resistance movement in Mariupol. He revealed that individuals who had relocated from Russia to the occupied territories were involved in delivering the poisoned fruit.
“Our Ukrainian people do not directly participate in delivering such dangerous ‘gifts’ to the Russians,” Andryushchenko clarified. “However, there are always individuals arriving from Russia in large numbers, driven by economic motives. They engage in trade and supply activities.”
Detailing the operation behind the poisoning, he explained, “The process was straightforward. It was evident that these watermelons were intended for a military base. The sellers, identified beforehand, offered a batch at a low cost, leading to the intended harm.”
Mariupol fell under Russian control following a prolonged three-month battle following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.