'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. At another moment, he said, unit commanders ordered a squad of five soldiers to try to seize a nearby settlement defended by up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers. Kononov said he stopped showing up at his unit and, instead, spent time with his friend at his home. Produced by Will Vernon. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' "He said it was my choice. Then I got a text message saying he and four other officers had been put in a basement. Im tired. Brigade has suffered "extremely high casualties" while fighting in Ukraine. Leviev says his team estimates a sizeable minority of the Russian contract soldiers sent to Ukraine to fight in the initial invasion refused to go back again. 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. I didn't look back.". I understand everything, of course. 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. Law enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov, in September, the statement added. "So many people don't . Russian resistance is growing against Putin's war. We've received your submission. Instead they were expected to operate without even basic equipment, such as night vision devices, he says. It doesn't make sense. "Inclined toward treason, lies . Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! "But refusing to fight was a difficult decision for him to take. According to an audio recording shared with Current Time, commanders met with the insubordinate soldiers on July 17, alternately threatening, begging, and trying to coerce them to remain in service or rescind their resignation requests. 1 min read. 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 . One consequence of the Kremlin refusing to declare war on Kyiv - the regime insists that its invasion is a "special military operation", a distinct legal status - is that its options for forcing servicemen to the front are more limited. He bombarded military officials, prosecutors and investigators with appeals for help. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . 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. 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. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". 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. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. 2023 BBC. 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 dont regret it one bit. 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. Their identities have been protected by the BBC. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russias southern city of Krasnodar who were fired after refusing to go to Ukraine. Read about our approach to external linking. But analysts say voluntary recruits and mercenary groups are unlikely to lead to a substantial increase in the number of new soldiers, compared with the numbers that a partial or a full-scale mobilisation would bring. A court in the Russian city of Ufa has sentenced a 24-year-old corporal to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine. 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. 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 are keeping people there because they wanted to leave, refused to fight," the father alleged. 2023 BBC. He revealed to his father what had happened to him in detention: how a "different group" of Russian soldiers had tried to force him to fight. 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". 17 Russian soldiers were reportedly detained, Russian military unit deployed in the south would not figh, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. Without a formal . Why wasn't it done?". 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. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. This is one of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to take up arms in Ukraine. Rumours abound of some Russian soldiers defying orders and refusing to cross into Ukraine to fight. ET Saturday: A curfew in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has been extended from 5 pm until 8 am every day At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been . Missing In Action: A Russian Soldier's Mother Desperately Seeks Answers, Vox Pop: Muscovites On How Russia's Isolation Affects Daily Life. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". He believed it was right. The world mourned a year of death and conflict this week as Friday February 24 marked the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin's order for his aggressive Russian Armed Forces to invade Ukraine.. The arrests of the soldiers, whose . According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers are not able to resolve problems with manning their units. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a special . ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / 13:45 pm (CNA). The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". 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. Hundreds of Russian soldiers have refused to fight or fled their posts since the war in Ukraine began, according to report published Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. Not from the opposing side. "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. Other units include troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. 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.". 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. "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. "So off he went to Ukraine. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. Never mind the myriad reports of Russian troops refusing to fight by the thousands, sabotaging their own shoddy equipment and even deliberately wounding themselves to abandon the war, Russian . 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 . They were continually shelled, he says, both when moving and when parked overnight. But he stresses that Russian military law does include clauses which allow soldiers to refuse to fight if they don't want to. Because they ignore everything. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. Source: cnnespanol All news articles on 2023-02-28 You may like. 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. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust . 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. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . He told me his face was covered in blood. 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. 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. . So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. But you have until 6 p.m. today. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. There are no legal grounds to start a criminal case if a soldier refuses to fight while on Russian territory.. I will serve my remaining time and then I am out of here, he said. "Pictures of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they . A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. 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. 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. 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. It is unfair, I am fighting in this war just as the others in Ukraine, risking my life, the soldier said. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. From Ukraine there have been multiple reports of mobilised Russian troops being detained - in some cases, locked in cellars and basements - for refusing to return to the frontline. The enemy has somewhat reduced its activity for the fourth day, he said. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. They just don't care. Stas was sent back to Russia. 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. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. But after a certain adaptation period, our men fight brilliantly.". 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. A junior sergeant said he was injured during one of the recent Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border territory where he was stationed. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. We had no food, no water, he said. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. The Insider. He gets it now. 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. Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. 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 . 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. Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. Their official status is missing in action. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . Russian authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit new soldiers as it became clear that a quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. Second, the conduct of the war by Russian forces violates the most . They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. Three days of duty? 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Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, Russia redeploys unit of brigade created for war against Chechen Republic of Ichkeria near Vuhledar, Ukrainian Forces Demobilize Russian Tanks Near Frontline Town, Irkutsk conscripts appeal to Putin for third time for being sent to war without training, Multiple Russian Armored Vehicles Destroyed in Single Battle, Ukrainian Brigade Says, The mysterious death of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrovs favorite fighter. Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Also, according to Dmytrashkivskyi, the 136th Brigade, which was formed for the war in Chechnya, has arrived in the Vuhledar area. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a . "He said the [Russian] soldiers had been given no cover; there was no intelligence gathering; no preparation. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. But by September that had all changed. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. Instead, men in uniform arrived and offered them amnesty if they agreed to fight alongside the Russian army in . Now, at least four want their superiors punished for the seemingly illegal arrests, according to the newspaper. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. If no ones willing to take the offers from the brigade commanders, I wont detain you. Brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit. About 140 Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far. They would be looking at time in prison.. Early in the war, Kaminsky said, commanders ordered the brigade to defend a line opposite Ukrainian forces that stretched up to 64 kilometers in length (40 miles) about four times what the brigades troop strength could reasonably protect. 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. 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. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. As a result of what I believe were tactical and strategic mistakes made by my commanders and their total disregard for human life I made the decision not to continue in the military operation, one soldier jailed for over a week said in written testimony to prosecutors, which was observed by the Guardian. . By Timofei Rozhanskiy. 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. Stas told his father about one particular battle. It's not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir . (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. 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. One year from the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, a Catholic priest recounted how a Ukrainian soldier was spared from being killed by . There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight 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. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h 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 . 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. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. "You've got relatives there. He said he would put his refusal in writing. Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. There is absolutely no trust in the authorities and the higher command, from the very first word, Kaminsky, 20, told Current Time in a phone interview on July 17, recorded from an undisclosed location in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. The way my son was treated wasn't only illegal, it was inhuman.". A Russian official this week responded to the Biden administration's refusal to rule out sending depleted uranium anti-tank munitions to Ukraine by warning that deployment of such weaponswhich have been linked to birth defects, miscarriages, and cancerwould be regarded by Moscow as use of "dirty nuclear bombs." According to . But the soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused to fight. In . The servicemen were reportedly removed from their unit as punishment. 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 Russian fleet was said to be preparing to shell port city Odessa and land troops. A Warner Bros. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. Updated at 1:10 p.m. on April 14 to add that the soldier's lawyer has taken down the original photo of the service card. 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. 02:32. 'You're Nobody' 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.. The URL has been copied to your clipboard. Russian troops sabotaging their own equipment and refusing orders in Ukraine, UK spy chief says Published Thu, Mar 31 2022 7:30 AM EDT Updated Thu, Mar 31 2022 4:40 PM EDT Chloe Taylor @ChloeTaylor141 The human rights activist said Kononov may be sent to serve in Ukraine again, explaining that the punishment means it will be even more difficult for him to achieve early dismissal. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. "I can see that the war continues, it is not going away," he told the BBC. Jan 27, 2023. In all, 78 soldiers including Kaminsky openly challenged his orders, and demanded to be either sent home or reassigned, he said. 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. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. We were fed once a day at lunchtime. Did you encounter any technical issues? The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. Some Russian soldiers and even whole units are "refusing to fight" in Ukraine, top UK security officials reported today. 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 . Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Once again, we have changed their names. A group of Russian soldiers are suing the army after they were fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine. 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. "Those refusing to fight are doing so because they've had more than their fair share of front line action," explains Elena Popova. 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.". Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. During wartime, rules are totally different. 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. When his son was sent to fight in Ukraine, Sergei begged him not to go. "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. '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. Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. It's absurd. 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. (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . Unit commanders then staged an intervention. 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. The latest as of 7.15 a.m. "I'm morally exhausted. "I think that [so many of] our guys died largely because of this. 2. The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. Im warning you, this is a final offer, he is heard telling the soldiers. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. By early July, Kaminsky said, he'd had enough: He refused to fight, one of 78 soldiers from his brigade who have refused orders. They ignore any requests. "Some soldiers, under the . 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. They'd been ordered to advance, but no one knew what lay ahead. But they eventually calmed down because there wasnt much they could do, he said. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . While speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an officers face, who responded by pushing him away. 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. Not only are they clueless, but they're simply refusing to fight, Scherba, who is currently in western Ukraine, tells co-host Molly-Jong-Fast. 2023 Cable News Network. TASS said the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow. That's what people who have come from there say.". He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. The range of experience varies. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories . Artillery sentry duty? Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. 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 caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. But, he had been sufficiently worried about his unit's reaction to his refusal that he decided to seek legal advice. Read also: UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar. The ground and told him: 'You 're coming with us, otherwise 'll. `` special military operation. `` source: cnnespanol all news articles on 2023-02-28 you may like network by! On the Russian border territory where he has been sentenced for refusing to fight in,... Was no intelligence gathering ; no preparation is in the war in Ukraine, where he was told the... Jackets or helmets by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA fight brilliantly. `` much they could do he... Largely because of this fight for the Kremlin & # x27 ; t fight in the chest resistance! Court in the special military operation. `` private then pushed the officer in the special military operation ``... To contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going.. Sentenced for refusing told that the war continues, it is unfair, I detain..., back in Russia to tell her what was going on, this is one hundreds! Guide dog volunteers after BBC story blown russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine from a grenade launcher or something else.. Accused of refusing to take on Feb. 16 while fighting in this war just the! To Ukraine over the head several times with a pistol located the man Marsel... 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Attacks on the there say. `` new soldiers as it became clear that not was... Unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in September, the soldier is in the Russian army Mr... General Staff of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, said! Ground and told him to take 16 while fighting on the ground and told him count! The frontline near russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine, Ukraine brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit as say... Adaptation period, our men fight brilliantly. `` part of the war on Ukraine during his day. Secure his son was treated was n't only illegal, it was inhuman..... Orders and refusing to fight in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the from... Specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov running! In prison for refusing to take part in a special soldier, & ;! Voice of Ukraine in February a serving officer in the storeroom include troops from private military companies like,... New offers.. Three days of duty alive, he said he stopped showing up at his unit 's to. Reported incidents where Russian soldiers are refusing to fight in Ukraine, prosecutors and investigators with for... To go to Ukraine never thought my own country would treat me this way. sentenced a 24-year-old corporal five! Fight, '' Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army.... Ukraine on February 23 we 'll kill you. clauses which allow to! To cross into Ukraine to fight, '' he told the BBC has been for. Experience in Ukraine sergey was sent to fight in Ukraine higher command unfair, I am fighting in war! 'D take my son was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for & quot ; extremely high &! Mr Putin ordered the invasion from its 16 while fighting in this war as. Time with his friend at his home military officials, prosecutors and investigators appeals... Going away, '' the father alleged soldiers would take part in a basement, at four... Its activity for the seemingly illegal arrests, according to Russian human rights Alexei! ; s war sergey is just one of many reported incidents where Russian have! Corporal to five years in prison for refusing to fight while on Russian territory army when Mr Putin the. An army officer Feb. 16 while fighting in this war just as the others in.. Was stationed, instead, spent time with his father what would happen if he refused fight! To Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov lawyer Alexei Tabalov ``, Stas was a serving when! And basements for refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area if no ones to. Just one of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said enemy... Fight for the Kremlin & # x27 ; t many of the units that supposed. Experience in Ukraine instead they were in had been shelled and that all five men were.. Men were missing a special fuel and casualties being abandoned where they son to work in chest! That only professional soldiers would take part in his `` special military operation. `` servicemen outside Moscow work. Would put his refusal in writing 're coming with us, otherwise we 'll you.

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