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. "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. They just don't care. The Russian defense ministry didnt respond to the Guardians request for comment. The whole time, not a single document was provided that would explain our arrest. "He said it was my choice. In another incident where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to fight in Ukraine, the country's Operational Command South said Sunday in a Facebook post that a Russian military unit deployed in the south would not fight because of a lack of vital supplies such as water. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h 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. I told him: 'Better to take it. Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. 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. Some large government-run companies have received letters urging them to sign up their staff for the army. It's not a war of liberation.' 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. I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. The Russian authorities dismiss reports of disillusioned soldiers and detention centres as fake news. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' Command post guard duty? Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. There was no basic hygiene, the soldier said in the testimony, according to the Guardian. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. "But he said he was going. Russian soldiers are increasingly dying from accidental friendly fire . Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to the front. In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. Im tired. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. 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.. Pointing to Russias military laws, Benyash said it would be more difficult for soldiers to refuse to fight if Russia were to declare a full-scale war. 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. Russian authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit new soldiers as it became clear that a quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable. He refused so they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. July 20, 2022 16:08 GMT. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. 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. Separately, a military tribunal said it sentenced Kandarov to five years behind bars for evading military service during mobilisation for more than a month. They haven't been seen for five months. I didnt think I would quit, but it happened because of my wifes difficult pregnancy, when I asked for a delay until after she gave birth, a third soldier told Current Time in a VK message. 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. The Insider. For many Russian soldiers, the war in Ukraine is one they don't want to fight. As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. 2d ago. 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. 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. Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. ", 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. While speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an officers face, who responded by pushing him away. 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. "Some soldiers, under the . A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. He's changed completely. R ussian troops have destroyed a concrete dam built in Ukraine's Kherson Region in 2014 to cut off water to Crimea, the RIA news agency quoted the governor of Russian-annexed Crimea Sergei . My daughter was born three months ago. 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. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . But you have until 6 p.m. today. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. Reports from Russia said authorities would call up 300,000 people with "relevant" skills or military experience. Other units include troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers are not able to resolve problems with manning their units. Because they ignore everything. A Russian court has sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials said Thursday. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. 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. 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. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. According to Kaminsky, the pressure ended up working in part: As of July 16, 50 of the 78 soldiers who had demanded to return to their home base had relented. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. But they eventually calmed down because there wasnt much they could do, he said. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. They ignore any requests. A month later - 24 February, the day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross the border. Did you encounter any technical issues? Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called volunteer Cossack Detachment, attached to the 155th Marine Brigade of the Russian Pacific Fleet, are refusing to continue to take part in offensive operations due to the failure of the offensive and significant personnel losses near Vuhledar.". Law enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov, in September, the statement added. 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. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . People in Kyiv are being warned of street fighting and "subversive groups" on the third day of the Russian invasion, with reports of 198 Ukrainians dead nationwide since troops first crossed the . 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. April 7, 2022. 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. Why wasn't it done?". After that, I wont look at any new offers.. Russian . Three days of duty? RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, and the plight of civilians. DeSantis won't say he's running. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. A video of the incident that circulated online showed the soldier complaining of poor training, using obscenities, and calling the drills an imitation. Read about our approach to external linking. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. I signed a contract. They forgot their military oaths, the ceremonial promise, their vows of duty to their Fatherland, the board reads. In a rare public spat involving the Kremlin, 25 National Guard 'refuseniks' defied their . Journalists fight on their own frontline. Artillery sentry duty? A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. He told me his face was covered in blood," the father said while speaking to the outlet. The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. 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 didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . He believed it was right. 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. Also, according to Dmytrashkivskyi, the 136th Brigade, which was formed for the war in Chechnya, has arrived in the Vuhledar area. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. "Those refusing to fight are doing so because they've had more than their fair share of front line action," explains Elena Popova. The contract soldier was subsequently sentenced on July 21 to restriction in military service for one year, with a 10 percent deduction from his monetary allowance going to the state. 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