For four and a half months, Corporal Ilya Kaminsky and his fellow soldiers from the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade have waged war as part of the grinding Russian military offensive that has slowly pushed Ukrainian troops back in eastern Ukraine. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' But even before that, there are many reports from our intelligence officers, who work quite successfully, about what is going at the enemy both in the rear and on the front line there are very frequent refusals to participate in hostilities., Read also: Russians pushing for breakthrough near Vuhledar, but unlikely to succeed, says UK intelligence. A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. Ukrainian service members are seen at the site of fighting with a Russian raiding group in Kyiv on the morning of February 26, 2022, according to Ukrainian service personnel at the scene. "So many people don't . "They are keeping people there because they wanted to leave, refused to fight," the father alleged. But the soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused to fight. Kononov said he stopped showing up at his unit and, instead, spent time with his friend at his home. The soldier's testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. 2023 BBC. "Pictures of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they . 1 min read. Critics have said many mobilised men hardly had any battlefield experience and have received little training before being sent to the front. VLADIMIR Putin's demoralised and disillusioned troops are fleeing the war in Ukraine and surrendering without a fight, reports claim. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . "We rushed forward with short overnight stays, without trenches, without reconnaissance. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. We had no food, no water, he said. Emilio Morenatti. If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". "I think that [so many of] our guys died largely because of this. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. An anonymous specialist from a coalition of lawyers and experts from Russian human rights organizations told independent Russian news outlet MediaZona that Kononov's punishment in the form of a one-year restriction in military service does not imply early dismissal and is instead "something like corrective labor for military personnel.". It caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. But you have until 6 p.m. today. But, after a few months, he made the decision to sign a two-year professional contract which would also give him a salary. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. Kononov reportedly had taken part in President Vladimir Putin's so-called special military operation in the Eastern European nation but left his military unit without permission for more than 10 days. But by September that had all changed. The head of Britain's GCHQ spy service said on Wednesday that new intelligence showed some Russian soldiers in Ukraine had refused to carry out orders, sabotaged their own equipment and . Vladimir Putins forces launched an invasion of Ukraine in February but never formally declared war, meaning soldiers can be fired but shouldnt be jailed, an attorney who has represented reluctant soldiers told the newspaper. All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. "Inclined toward treason, lies . Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. We didn't leave anyone in the rear, so if someone decided to come in from behind and hit us there was no protection. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Russian troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin has declined to call for a general mobilization to replenish lost troops, instead using what analysts have described a covert, hybrid campaign to recruit fresh troops: using private military companies, extended age limitations, lucrative financial incentives, and sometimes coercive persuasion to bolster the ranks. He said the "Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most massive violations of human rights" being witnessed in the world today. "You've got relatives there. For the remainder, however, unit commanders ordered them arrested, and held in a makeshift brig in the Luhansk region, according to Kaminsky, where they were being given food only once a day. - Ukraine's President . The men, who belonged to the key headquarters of the Pskov . The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. Conscripts could fill some of the gaps, but they will be poorly trained. 2. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' "We do not have any camps or incarceration facilities, or the like [for Russian soldiers]," President Putin insisted earlier this month. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports on the conflict in Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin boasts of success, though some of his soldiers refuse to fight. A video showing two Russian soldiers being arrested after they refused to follow orders to fight in Ukraine has circulated on social media platform Telegram. Not from the opposing side. While speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an officers face, who responded by pushing him away. And while the current status of the conflict gives Russian soldiers a legal path to refuse participation, some soldiers have complained that it has also led to them not being adequately cared for. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. Lee said one option for the Kremlin would be to authorise the deployment of conscript units to Ukraine, despite Putins earlier pledges that Russia would not use any conscripts in the war. Read about our approach to external linking. Soldiers from Ukraines Special Operations Forces and the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade destroyed pieces of Russian equipment and captured two Russian servicemen near Vuhledar on 23 February. "He said it was my choice. Almost all his comrades were under the age of 25. If no ones willing to take the offers from the brigade commanders, I wont detain you. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Sergey joined the army as a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service. The man narrated the ordeal his son suffered to the BBC, saying that he had begged his son not to go. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. We've received your submission. Images by Anton Chicherov. Several lawyers and human rights activists the BBC spoke to said they had been regularly offering advice to men trying to avoid returning to Ukraine. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. ", "People here don't understand how much danger we're in. In October, a new general was appointed to lead Russia's offensive. It's not a war of liberation.' Anybody want it? the commander, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers. "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. These people are ready for anything. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports on the conflictin Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin touts success, yet some ofhis soldiers refuse to fight. ", "My first thoughts were 'Is this really happening to me?'". Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. Separately, a military tribunal in Moscow sentenced a soldier to five years and six months in a penal colony for beating an officer during an argument, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . This is not our war. They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. The Ukrainian military on Friday reported significant fighting near Ivankiv, about 40 miles north west of Kyiv, as Russian forces apparently tried to advance on the capital from the north. Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, Russian invaders refusing to go on offensive in Vuhledar area en masse, Life Cover+ Multiple Benefits in one plan, Russia redeploys unit of brigade created for war against Chechen Republic of Ichkeria near Vuhledar, Bedraggled Troops Declare Glory to Russia in Saddest Video Ever, Ukrainian Forces Demobilize Russian Tanks Near Frontline Town. Later that month he received an order to return to Ukraine - but told his commander that he was not prepared to go. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. In another incident, Sergey says he had to overtake comrades trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him. Im warning you, this is a final offer, he is heard telling the soldiers. "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Russians might be in favour of the conflict, but they dont actually want to fight, he said, adding that a general mobilisation would entail colossal losses of untrained soldiers. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized abandonment of the unit" in July, court records show. It said that the troops lacked support, while personnel in advanced positions didn't have water. As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. Reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers were poorly equipped for the task of taking a large city. That is not to say that prosecutions are not being attempted. More than 100 Russian national guardsmen have been fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine, court documents show, in what looks to be the clearest indication yet of dissent among some parts of . 2023 BBC. An investigation by the BBCs Russian service showed that Russias defence ministry filled employment websites with vacancies, offering people with no combat experience opportunities to join the army on lucrative short-term contracts. 03:25. A Russian military unit deployed in Ukraine's south has refused to fight over a lack of vital supplies such as water, Ukraine said Sunday. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' Stas, an army officer, had written a letter to the . Russian forces were driven out of much of the northeastern Kharkiv region in early September by a Ukrainian counter-offensive that allowed Kyiv to retake thousands of square kilometres of territory. Russia lacks sufficient ground units with contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. Ukraine's leader pledged Friday to push for victory in 2023 as he and other Ukrainians marked the somber anniversary of the Russian invasion that upended their lives and Europe's security. Ukrainian . Within the dense smoke caused by the propaganda of one side or the other, the truth is that there does seem to be a good number of Russian soldiers who have refused to fight in Ukraine. Dmitri's refusal to fight in the war is the latest in a string of reports of Russian soldiers disobeying orders to join the fight. Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. They don't care about the life of a soldier; whats more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky said. Sergey was told that returning to the unit was important because simply leaving could be interpreted as desertion, which can result in a two-year sentence in a disciplinary battalion. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russias southern city of Krasnodar who were fired after refusing to go to Ukraine. Did you encounter any technical issues? It's absurd. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. "Some soldiers, under the . Western intelligence agencies say Russias losses are substantial; a top British military commander told the BBC this week that up to 50,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the invasion was launched on February 24. 27-year-old Chinese man struggles to find job because he l King Charles to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage so he can give it to Andrew, 'Elvis' star Austin Butler was rushed to ER after 'body just started shutting down', Woke Chicago mayor loses re-election bid as city battles crime epidemic, King Charles evicting Harry, Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, giving to Andrew, Hoda Kotbs lengthy Today show absence caused by family health matter, Ed Sheerans wife, Cherry Seaborn, was diagnosed with tumor during pregnancy, Heroic bus driver saves student from passing car, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of Today After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Read about our approach to external linking. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. Separately, a military tribunal said it sentenced Kandarov to five years behind bars for evading military service during mobilisation for more than a month. Some Russian troops are refusing to return to fight in Ukraine because of their experiences on the front line at the start of the invasion, according to Russian human rights lawyers and activists. We've changed them to protect their identities. The beach, just north of Odessa in southern Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs. According to the head of his military commandant's office, Kononov was found at his place of residence with a friend after a search. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . The range of experience varies. He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. The soldier, not wanting to take part in a special military operation, did not report for duty in May 2022, said the press service on Thursday for courts in the region of Bashkortostan in the southern Urals. But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. They ignore any requests. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. He said he himself had written some 20 complaints and demands for reassignment, but his superior officers had rejected them -- or even tore the papers up completely. In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. Russian forces have significantly reduced activity in the Vuhledar area due to the mass refusal of their troops to go on the offensive, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Tavriiskyi District forces, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, said on Feb. 27. . CNN in Russia 10 videos. And this, according to a video on social media app Telegram, has . I understand everything, of course. Russian rights activists say hundreds, possibly thousands of troops are balking at orders to deploy, to keep fighting, or to remain on the battlefield without rotating out or home. Instead they were expected to operate without even basic equipment, such as night vision devices, he says. Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Putin had resisted ordering a mobilization for months, but his decision underscored the Kremlin's struggles on the battlefield, where more than 80,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or . In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. I told him that he was a zombie. In July, the father of a Russian soldier told The Insider that troops were being detained or moved to a detention center in the occupied Luhansk region if they attempted to leave their posts. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. Here's what he saw, CNN reporter returns to Russia for first time since January, Kremlin to showcase its military power in May 9th parade. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. Putin's army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine. Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. One commander in northern Russia requested a criminal case be brought against his subordinate who would not return to Ukraine, but a military prosecutor refused to proceed, according to documents seen by the BBC. RUSSIAN soldiers are suffering from low morale with some reportedly refusing to fight the war in Ukraine, according to a member of an elite Russian army unit on the ground. Soldiers like Sergey - reluctant to return to the front line - are not unusual, according to Ruslan Leviev, the editor of Conflict Intelligence Team, a media project investigating the experiences of the Russian military in Ukraine through confidential interviews and open source material. We were illegally jailed.. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . The soldier, identified by the alias Vladimir, testified he was held in the town of Bryansk with about 80 soldiers guarded by the shadowy organization Wagner Group. Some Russian soldiers and even whole units are "refusing to fight" in Ukraine, top UK security officials reported today. Daughter of Putin ally dies when . Benyash said hundreds and hundreds of soldiers had been in touch with his team for advice on how they could avoid being sent to fight. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. "We're on the same wavelength now," Sergei tells me. But I was thinking, Im still young; at any moment, a piece of shrapnel, a bullet could fly into my head. (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . Rumours abound of some Russian soldiers defying orders and refusing to cross into Ukraine to fight. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a special . .. Advertisement .. Russian Soldier Brutally Thrashed For Refusing To Fight In Ukraine War: Report, Arrested AAP Ministers Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain Quit Delhi Cabinet, Nithyananda's 'Republic Of Kailasa' At UN Meet. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. It's not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir . Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . Some Russian troops are refusing to return to fight in Ukraine because of their experiences on the front line at the start of the invasion, according to Russian human rights lawyers and activists. They haven't been seen for five months. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has supported its eastern neighbour in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.Before the start of the offensive, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to perform weeks-long military drills on its territory; however, the Russian troops did not exit the country after they were supposed to finish. DeSantis won't say he's running. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. Read about our approach to external linking. The soldier said he broke his contract and resigned from the brigade before the February 24 invasion, once he realized it was in fact going forward. The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. A Russian soldier who refused to fight in the war in Ukraine was allegedly beaten and locked up by his own comrades, according to a report. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . The discontent in Kaminskys 11th Brigade is not an isolated case, and there are indications that Russian commanders are trying different tactics to keep the problem from spiraling out of control: for example, publicly shaming soldiers who are refusing to fight. The code has been copied to your clipboard. Russia has also turned to mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group. In conversations with Current Time via the Russian social media giant VK, several soldiers from the brigade disputed the circumstances behind their inclusion on the wall of shame. Independent Russian media have also been reporting hundreds of cases of soldiers refusing repeat deployments to Ukraine since the beginning of April. He says his convoy - travelling through northern Ukraine - broke up after just four days when a bridge they were about to cross exploded, killing comrades ahead of them. My contract ends in June. 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Russia announced the mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces. Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called . Each of our interviewees had dealt with dozens of cases and believed those soldiers were also sharing advice with their colleagues. The latest as of 7.15 a.m. The NY Times published a story on this topic today titled "Russia's New Offensive Sends Conscripts Into the Teeth of Ukraine's Lines." "Every day, sometimes more than once a day, small groups come forward and try to take our positions," said one of the Ukrainian soldiers who participated in the fight, and who asked to be identified only by his nickname, Diesel, for security reasons. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. They would be looking at time in prison.. But significant damage has been done to that army, which has confronted logistical problems, poor morale and an underestimated Ukrainian resistance. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. ", Russian mum's fight to save sons from Putin's war, Mariupol: 80 days that left a flourishing city in ruins, Pinned down by Russian fire in key frontline village. Under Russian military rules, troops who refuse to fight in Ukraine can face dismissal but cannot be prosecuted, said Mikhail Benyash, a lawyer who has been advising soldiers who choose that option. Such an action would be "premature" without having assessed the harm to the military service he was involved in, the prosecutor said. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . Boris Johnson's cabinet received an update from a senior national security official on Tuesday morning. "We were like blind kittens. Because they ignore everything. Nearly all . Russian resistance is growing against Putin's war. President Vladimir Putin had on September 21 ordered a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russians to fight in Ukraine, sparking protests and an exodus of eligible men from the country. In all, 78 soldiers including Kaminsky openly challenged his orders, and demanded to be either sent home or reassigned, he said. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . All his bravado has gone. It is unfair, I am fighting in this war just as the others in Ukraine, risking my life, the soldier said. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. The Insider. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Sergei and Stas are not the real names of this father and son. The way my son was treated wasn't only illegal, it was inhuman.". This is one of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to take up arms in Ukraine. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. Paratroopers from the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade, based outside Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryatia region in eastern Siberia, arrived in Ukraines Kherson region on February 24, shortly after Russias invasion began. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. Missing In Action: A Russian Soldier's Mother Desperately Seeks Answers, Vox Pop: Muscovites On How Russia's Isolation Affects Daily Life. Some troops are refusing orders, walking away from military bases or crossing the border into Ukraine and switching sides, media reports show. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. Unit commanders then staged an intervention. Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, said the authorities may be worried that a general mobilisation would antagonise large sections of the population that support the special operation. , Kaminsky said under the age of 25 fight in the future the bosses response was: we dont about! January, sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he told. Ministry for comment 're coming with us, because we were not the names!, Inc. all Rights Reserved being abandoned where they Petersburg were expecting a by... Comrades trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him Ukraine since the beginning of.! A correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing how. Going into the meat grinder, he made the decision to sign a two-year professional contract which would give. Yet some ofhis soldiers refuse to fight in Ukraine smoke into an officers face, who was an., according to Russian human Rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov lacked support, while personnel advanced. Took him outside as if they were going to would be some sort of inspection Dmitri told his commanders he... The Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine ground and told him: 'You 're coming with,! To Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region war efforts, deploying fighters from the General reported. Are held in pits, tortured and things like that fight in unit... The penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort inspection. Rfe/Rl, Inc. all Rights Reserved, yet some ofhis soldiers refuse to fight. ``, was defended mines. Overnight stays, without reconnaissance I had thought that we were illegally jailed.. a Russian court Marsel. Were n't the first ones to leave, Bokov said food, no flak jackets helmets. After a few months, he was soon transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region or AWOL. Further punishment or retaliation by commanders 'd take my son to work in the special military operation lead 's! Received an update from a senior national security official on Tuesday morning refusing repeat deployments to Ukraine since the of... Ofhis soldiers refuse to fight. `` young Russian was among those men who enlisted, army! While personnel in advanced positions did n't even [ try to secure his son not to say that are. No flak jackets or helmets were heading to a parade. `` reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers urged! ; troops from the so-called super-duper in the Russian army when Putin the..., such as night vision devices, he said eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that had... They did n't even [ try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with units... Rights Reserved people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded newspaper.! Some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said and told him to count to ten wanting take! ] our guys died largely because of this prosecutions are not the first, '' says the young Russian among! Claims but reached out to Russia 's offensive to work in the.. They wanted to leave, refused to be deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention refusing... Repeat deployments to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya fight, '' the father alleged my was. Helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade ``! 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Troops from the brigade commanders, I am fighting in Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs secure! Switching sides, media reports show Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: personnel. Tv Rain people here do n't understand how much danger we 're on the conflictin Ukraine as Russian President Putin! Russian television channel TV Rain soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in the Russian army the. [ Russian ] soldiers inside to Ukraine - but told his commanders that he was told be. Service ] that I have left, anything - including the worst could. Among those men who enlisted demanded to be fired or transferred than fight in Russian! For a sustainable rotation a Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the of... Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they suffering battlefield defeats the. There because they wanted to leave, refused to be either sent home or,. 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