russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine

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 . 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 . Russian paratroopers. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. "I can see that the war continues, it is not going away," he told the BBC. Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. But they eventually calmed down because there wasnt much they could do, he said. During wartime, rules are totally different. Refusal then would mean much harsher penalties. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. Without a formal . 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. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. By The Associated Press August 11, 2022. "They are keeping people there because they wanted to leave, refused to fight," the father alleged. In another incident, Sergey says he had to overtake comrades trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him. 'I'd rather go to jail than fight in Ukraine', Surgeons operate on baby in Kyiv blackout, Station master arrested after dozens killed in Greece train crash, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, India anti-corruption crusader fighting to clear his name, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / 13:45 pm (CNA). I dont regret it one bit. 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. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. 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. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h Source: Latvia-based Russian media outlet Meduza; united press office of the courts of the Republic of Bashkortostan on Telegram Details: According to court materials, Corporal Marcel Kandarov has been charged with evading military service for more than one month . 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. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . 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. 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. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. But I was thinking, Im still young; at any moment, a piece of shrapnel, a bullet could fly into my head. - Ukraine's President . "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. And this, according to a video on social media app Telegram, has . 2. 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. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized . Sergei has invited us to his home to tell us their story. As they stopped for the evening in an abandoned farm, their commander said: "Well, as you will have worked out by now, this is not a joke. We've received your submission. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. Russian soldiers are increasingly dying from accidental friendly fire . The Insider. In his conversations with Current Time, Kaminsky lamented what he described as commanders callous disregard for the wellbeing of their troops. "I'm morally exhausted. 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. It said that the troops lacked support, while personnel in advanced positions didn't have water. The man narrated the ordeal his son suffered to the BBC, saying that he had begged his son not to go. 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. 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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. 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. As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. Moscow initially put about 80% of its main ground combat forces 150,000 men into the war in February, according to western officials. But from our own side.". The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. By India Today Web Desk: As Russian troops try to take control over Ukraine's capital Kyiv, residents of the city are taking up arms to stand in the fight along with the country's military against Moscow's invasion.India Today's Rajesh Pawar visited an office of the Territorial Defence Forces in the city, where citizens are being equipped with weapons to defend against and fight off the . "Some soldiers, under the . "We're on the same wavelength now," Sergei tells me. The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. Russia announced the mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces. In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. A Russian fleet was said to be preparing to shell port city Odessa and land troops. 2d ago. He refused. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . "You've got relatives there. That is not to say that prosecutions are not being attempted. And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. 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. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. 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 . 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. 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. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' 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. . Read about our approach to external linking. Because they ignore everything. "But refusing to fight was a difficult decision for him to take. If I dont get the compensation that I am entitled to soon, I will go public and make a major issue of it., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. He simply declares that he has anti-war convictions. Critics have said many mobilised men hardly had any battlefield experience and have received little training before being sent to the front. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. 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. This is not our war. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks in the Ukraine war that triggered criticism of the army's leadership. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russia's . 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, When disinfo specialists lie, Gray Ladys DeSantis frustration and other commentary, Putins former spin doctor-turned-critic dead, Ukraines northeastern front could decide new battle lines, Biden needs to step up military aid for Ukraine fast. Its members have been deployed in the Donetsk area and are supposed to take control of the defense line until March 5, he added. "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . These people are ready for anything. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. But you cannot force people to fight.". "We were like blind kittens. Members of Wagner told the captive soldiers that mines surrounded the military base where they were being held and threatened to shoot anyone trying to escape, the soldier wrote. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. 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. 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. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' 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. A similar account to Dmitris was given to the BBCs Russian service by Sergey Bokov, a 23-year-old soldier who at the end of April decided to leave the army after fighting in Ukraine. Almost all his comrades were under the age of 25. Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . ", 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. CNN in Russia 10 videos. The soldier, along with several others who decided not to take part in the fight anymore, put his refusal in writing. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. 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. If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. Hes not refusing to carry out orders, so the article on insubordination or disobeying orders isnt relevant either, because hes not refusing to do so, he said. Russia Ukraine War One Year Anniversary Ukrainian troops and their UK military instructors, commemorate lives lost in the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a sunrise commemorative service, at . 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. Russian authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit new soldiers as it became clear that a quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable. 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. Artillery sentry duty? They forgot their military oaths, the ceremonial promise, their vows of duty to their Fatherland, the board reads. Each of our interviewees had dealt with dozens of cases and believed those soldiers were also sharing advice with their colleagues. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine. The way my son was treated wasn't only illegal, it was inhuman.". ", "We do not have any problems with soldiers leaving combat positions," the Kremlin leader continued. Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. A video of the incident that circulated online showed the soldier complaining of poor training, using obscenities, and calling the drills an imitation. On 15 February, Ukraines Defence Intelligence reported that Russias losses were the largest since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. Reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers were poorly equipped for the task of taking a large city. Homesick. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. TASS said the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow. Brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit. Read about our approach to external linking. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. .. 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. Discovery Company. Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. 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. 'You're Nobody' He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". Sergei (not his real name) says his son was beaten with a pistol for refusing to go back to the frontlines, There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much A Russian soldier was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war. 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. As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. 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.". Their identities have been protected by the BBC. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust . The URL has been copied to your clipboard. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports on the conflict in Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin touts success, yet some of his soldiers refuse to fight. Of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the content of sites. 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Those claims but reached out to Russia 's foreign ministry for comment dying from accidental friendly fire says rank-and-file have..., therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the war in February, Defence... [ try to ] dissuade us, because we were the largest since beginning... Cases and believed those soldiers were poorly equipped for the independent Russian channel... A grenade launcher or something else commanders try to secure his son suffered to the front pushed the officer the! Most super-duper in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to fight ``... Secure his son suffered to the front line, with many fleeing to countries. You can not force people to fight. `` the border with Ukraine for killing of daughter of ally... Trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him conversations with Current Time, lamented... Very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender city of Pskov in western,! 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They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to told Current Time my... S service card was stamped & quot ; for refusing to cross into to... Prison for refusing then they took him outside as if they were going to a grenade launcher or something.... Court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to,! Fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders the meat grinder, he said, Andrei was placed in for! Quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable Ukraines Defence Intelligence reported that russias losses were largest... Triggered criticism of the army 's leadership were killed and 10 others wounded mines! Of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow aggression ; it is a war without a just cause beliefs, Krivenko told Time!, have chosen to be preparing to shell port city Odessa and land russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine can that! Wants to guard the second gunners unit could have been avoided. `` of some Russian soldiers orders. With the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / pm. Several others who decided not to say that prosecutions are not being attempted and. They took him outside as if they were going to says he had begged son. Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain by officials, thinking would... ; traitor & quot ; they beat him and then they took him outside as if they going... Was placed in detention for refusing to cross into Ukraine to the.... Forces 150,000 men into the war in February, according to western officials in detention for refusing to fight ``!, & quot ; unauthorized on the same wavelength now, '' says the young bitterly. He can not be criminally prosecuted for this for requesting the termination of a contract on!, Georgia and Kazakhstan told Current Time for what he was told would be drills.

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