War-weary Russian soldiers have been thrown in jail by their commanders after they refused to fight in Ukraine over the invasions total disregard for human life, a new report claims. Russian state media aired footage of blitzed buildings and abandoned streets in Bakhmut , the eastern city where Ukrainian forces have been . Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. "It was a difficult decision for him to take. Id rather bury you on the front line, on the line of defense, than give up my position, he said, describing the sentiments of his commanders. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally, Daughter of Putin ally dies when car explodes, Russian media says, 'Russia is not Putin': 76-year-old Russian uses her art to speak out, Russian priest says he's helped 'thousands' of Ukrainian refugees get to Europe, Putin unveils imperialist mission: taking back land he says is Russia's, See rebranded McDonald's restaurants unveiled in Russia, CNN reporter was at Russia's Victory Day parade. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. This story has been shared 102,045 times. Russia lacks sufficient ground units with contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a . "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. "We rushed forward with short overnight stays, without trenches, without reconnaissance. In particular, conscripts are starting to cancel their contracts. There was no basic hygiene, the soldier said in the testimony, according to the Guardian. 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. In a rare public spat involving the Kremlin, 25 National Guard 'refuseniks' defied their . Dmytrashkivskyi added the Russians had carried out 15 assaults over the past day, while the same number stood at 60 assaults per day a month ago. 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. I still havent seen her. Homesick. "We do not have any camps or incarceration facilities, or the like [for Russian soldiers]," President Putin insisted earlier this month. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. ", "We do not have any problems with soldiers leaving combat positions," the Kremlin leader continued. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russia's . The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. 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. A lawyer told Sergey and two like-minded colleagues to return their arms and go back to their unit's headquarters - where they should file a letter explaining that they were "morally and psychologically exhausted" and could not continue fighting in Ukraine. Sergei and Stas are not the real names of this father and son. Russian troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine. "But he said he was going. It's not a war of liberation'," the man told the BBC. By Timofei Rozhanskiy. Brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit. In all, 78 soldiers including Kaminsky openly challenged his orders, and demanded to be either sent home or reassigned, he said. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. 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. But he stresses that Russian military law does include clauses which allow soldiers to refuse to fight if they don't want to. About 140 Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far. Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said all of the Ukrainian defenders on Snake Island were killed in an exchange with a Russian warship after they refused to surrender. Stas, an army officer, had written a letter to the . Produced by Will Vernon. Finance chiefs at a Group of 20 conference in India this weekend issued a joint statement condemning Moscow for its war in Ukraine, with only China and Russia declining to sign. Born in Russia, he graduated from St. Petersburg State University and also received film and video production training at Bard College in New York. A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. Argument | Michael Walzer. "As an officer he understood that if they went ahead, they wouldn't get out alive. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 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. 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. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. But, he had been sufficiently worried about his unit's reaction to his refusal that he decided to seek legal advice. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. "We were like blind kittens. "So off he went to Ukraine. They ignore any requests. Jan 27, 2023. Kaminsky said discontent had been building in the unit for weeks, if not months. As casualties have mounted, so have Ukrainian officials' efforts to appeal directly to the Russian people, saying they are being lied to about a war Moscow still calls a "special operation . "Inclined toward treason, lies . If no ones willing to take the offers from the brigade commanders, I wont detain you. 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. In Kononov's case, court documents say that he pleaded guilty to evading military service and that he testified he wanted to take a temporary break from fighting in Ukraine. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. Some troops are refusing orders, walking away from military bases or crossing the border into Ukraine and switching sides, media reports show. 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 Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. Sergey's complaints about lack of equipment have also emerged in phone conversations alleged to be between Russian soldiers and their families, intercepted and posted online by the Ukrainian security services. Im supposed to be ready for any situation; this war, this special operation, one soldier wrote. Russia launched the attack on Ukraine from three sides on February 24. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. "Another reason is the foul way they're being treated. "Some soldiers, under the . 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. 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. Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. Second, the conduct of the war by Russian forces violates the most . Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. A group of Russian soldiers recently sent Vladimir Putin a video complaining about "being sent to the slaughter" and begging for more military support in . It doesn't make sense. 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. 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. Heavy street fighting against Russian troops was underway in Kyiv as officials urged locals to take immediate shelter. Some soldiers, under the threat of violence, were simply driven out to unknown destinations, they have not been seen since, said Vladimir, according to the Guardian. 02:32. The soldier's testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. 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. Emilio Morenatti. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h Dmitris refusal to fight highlights some of the military difficulties the Russian army has faced as a result of the Kremlins political decision not to formally declare war on Ukraine preferring instead to describe the invasion, which will soon reach its fourth month, as a special military operation. Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . Frank Gardner looks at what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. In the southern Russian town of Budyonnovsk, on the home base for the 205th Cossack Motorized Rifle Brigade, commanders have erected a wall of shame with the names, ranks, and photographs of some 300 soldiers who have disobeyed orders in the Ukraine war. This is not our war. During wartime, rules are totally different. The servicemen were reportedly removed from their unit as punishment. Eventually his efforts paid off. 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. Read also: UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russias southern city of Krasnodar who were fired after refusing to go to Ukraine. Ukrainian media claims a "riot" broke out on the warships, based in nearby Crimea.. At the same time, a number of Russian helicopters and drones were flying over Luzanivka beach, preparing for landing.. 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.". More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . While the exact number of soldiers refusing to fight remains unclear, such stories illustrate what military experts and western governments say is one of Russias biggest obstacles in Ukraine: a severe shortage of infantry soldiers. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Some large government-run companies have received letters urging them to sign up their staff for the army. Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. 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. A video of the incident that circulated online showed the soldier complaining of poor training, using obscenities, and calling the drills an imitation. Nearly five months into the largest war in Europe since World War II, a growing number of Russian soldiers like Kaminsky are refusing to fight, demanding to return home, or outright not going to Ukraine in the first place. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust . Each of our interviewees had dealt with dozens of cases and believed those soldiers were also sharing advice with their colleagues. When the soldiers of an elite Russian army brigade were told in early April to prepare for a second deployment to Ukraine, fear broke out among the ranks. They forgot their military oaths, the ceremonial promise, their vows of duty to their Fatherland, the board reads. Discovery Company. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. They would be looking at time in prison.. "I'm morally exhausted. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. We drove around it and on, firing as we went. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. In July, for example, 17 Russian soldiers were reportedly detained in the country's eastern Luhansk region after they said they would not continue fighting in the war and tried to end their short-term contracts. The unit, stationed in Russias far east during peacetime, first entered Ukraine from Belarus when the war started at the end of February and saw bitter combat with Ukrainian forces. Sergei has invited us to his home to tell us their story. Although Sergey does not want to return to the front line, he does want to complete his outstanding military service in Russia to avoid any unforeseen consequences. But without conscript battalions, Russia could soon struggle to hold the territory it currently controls in Ukraine, especially as Ukraine receives better equipment from Nato, he said. They've spent time in the trenches, getting cold and hungry, but when they come back they just get shouted and sworn at by their commanders.". Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. He heard of Russian servicemen so inexperienced that they "did not know how to shoot and couldn't tell one end of a mortar from another". They were continually shelled, he says, both when moving and when parked overnight. But by September that had all changed. He refused. The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. DeSantis won't say he's running. I told him: 'Better to take it. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. They said no remains had been found. Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. 1 min read. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers are not able to resolve problems with manning their units. The Institute for the Study of War said on 14 February that the deployment of conscripted servicemen by Russian troops is unlikely to create sufficient offensive potential for a large-scale and rapid mechanised offensive. Read about our approach to external linking. I'm shocked by our army. Many of us simply did not want to go back, said Dmitri, a member of the unit who asked not to be identified with his real name. There have been an estimated 140 soldiers put behind bars in eastern Ukraine, with some allegedly guarded by pro-Moscow mercenaries in a military base surrounded by land mines, the Guardian reported. CNN in Russia 10 videos. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? The code has been copied to your clipboard. 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. 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. But from our own side.". Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called . Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". Russian servicemen near Kherson, Ukraine - 20 May 2022, By Olesya Gerasimenko and Kateryna Khinkulova, A convoy of Russian military vehicles heading towards the Donbas region - 23 February 2022, Local residents by a destroyed Russian tank in Sloboda, Chernihiv, Ukraine - 8 May 2022, Banner with the letters Z and V, in support of the Russian military, on a building in Moscow - 19 May 2022, Russian service personnel rehearse for the Victory Day Parade in Moscow - 7 May 2022, President Vladimir Putin visits soldiers wounded during the conflict in Ukraine - 25 May 2022, Pinned down by Russian fire in key front line village. "He said it was my choice. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. VLADIMIR Putin's demoralised and disillusioned troops are fleeing the war in Ukraine and surrendering without a fight, reports claim. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. In phone conversations with Current Time, he said troops were not granted any leave for 4 1/2 months, even as the losses and casualties for the brigade mounted: Up to half of the brigades personnel -- around 1,000 -- have been either killed or wounded in action, he said. Instead they were expected to operate without even basic equipment, such as night vision devices, he says. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. 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. 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. Many of the newly mobilised troops were quick to complain that they were being sent to a war zone without sufficient equipment or adequate training. April 7, 2022. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. He gets it now. 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 . We didn't leave anyone in the rear, so if someone decided to come in from behind and hit us there was no protection. I have nothing to be ashamed of. I told him that he was a zombie. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. All his bravado has gone. Its members have been deployed in the Donetsk area and are supposed to take control of the defense line until March 5, he added. I told him: 'Better to take it. But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. I signed a contract. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. Their identities have been protected by the BBC. ", 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. Independent Russian media have also been reporting hundreds of cases of soldiers refusing repeat deployments to Ukraine since the beginning of April. 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. He shares that soldiers in Crimea refused to be . The refusenik troops add to Russian commanders headaches as they struggle to replenish spent and exhausted units across the roughly 480-kilometer (300-mile) front line stretching from east of Kharkiv in the northeast down to Kherson in south-central Ukraine. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. For many Russian soldiers, the war in Ukraine is one they don't want to fight. 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