He simply declares that he has anti-war convictions. 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. I told him: 'Better to take it. "I think that [so many of] our guys died largely because of this. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. 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. We drove around it and on, firing as we went. He gets it now. 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. '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. They would be looking at time in prison.. 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. About 140 Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far. 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 troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine. That's what people who have come from there say.". 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. And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. Now, at least four want their superiors punished for the seemingly illegal arrests, according to the newspaper. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports on the conflictin Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin touts success, yet some ofhis soldiers refuse to fight. ", "We do not have any problems with soldiers leaving combat positions," the Kremlin leader continued. Troops had been withdrawn from northern Ukraine and appeared to be regrouping for an assault in the east. "We're on the same wavelength now," Sergei tells me. Ukrainian . Troops from the Russian so-called Cossack Detachment are refusing to take part in offensive operations due to Russian forces heavy losses near Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast. Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. 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. 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. If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. 2023 BBC. But that means that - while his letter of refusal to fight was accepted - there are no guarantees he won't be sent back to Ukraine during his service period. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He told me his face was covered in blood," the father said while speaking to the outlet. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". 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 . My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. I told him that he was a zombie. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! This is not our war. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h Russia has also turned to mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group. "Inclined toward treason, lies . Read about our approach to external linking. This is one of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to take up arms in Ukraine. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. 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. 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"We rushed forward with short overnight stays, without trenches, without reconnaissance. July 19, 2022. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. 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. The Russian authorities dismiss reports of disillusioned soldiers and detention centres as fake news. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a special . 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 . 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. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. Born in Russia, he graduated from St. Petersburg State University and also received film and video production training at Bard College in New York. Stas told his father about one particular battle. The NY Times published a story on this topic today titled "Russia's New Offensive Sends Conscripts Into the Teeth of Ukraine's Lines." "Every day, sometimes more than once a day, small groups come forward and try to take our positions," said one of the Ukrainian soldiers who participated in the fight, and who asked to be identified only by his nickname, Diesel, for security reasons. Then I got a text message saying he and four other officers had been put in a basement. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Russian resistance is growing against Putin's war. 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. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. DeSantis won't say he's running. He told me his face was covered in blood. By The Associated Press August 11, 2022. What's he waiting for? For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. 2023 BBC. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. 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. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. .. 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. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. Russian military regulations provide some legal justification and procedures for soldiers who disobey orders, according to Sergei Krivenko, a rights activist -- particularly for those who state they are anti-war, or pacifists. Soldiers with the 127th Regiment of the 1st Army Corps rioted, according to the operational command. The Russian independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported Friday that Russian officials have detained contract soldiers who refuse to fight in special detention camps in occupied Ukraine. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. Russian . Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. Putin's army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine. 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. "It was a difficult decision for him to take. Images by Anton Chicherov. They just don't care. Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Homesick. They ignore any requests. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. Im supposed to be ready for any situation; this war, this special operation, one soldier wrote. 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. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. 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. Some Russian soldiers and even whole units are "refusing to fight" in Ukraine, top UK security officials reported today. "But refusing to fight was a difficult decision for him to take. 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. Eventually his efforts paid off. ", "People here don't understand how much danger we're in. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . 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. All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / 13:45 pm (CNA). As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. Youre just a soldier for them; youre nobody.. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. 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. His superiors argued that he should not be given the monetary compensation of up to 2,500 that wounded Russians are entitled to by law because his injury took place on Russian soil meaning it did not fall under the rules of Russias special military operation. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. In a rare public spat involving the Kremlin, 25 National Guard 'refuseniks' defied their . An investigation by the BBCs Russian service showed that Russias defence ministry filled employment websites with vacancies, offering people with no combat experience opportunities to join the army on lucrative short-term contracts. 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. He said the "Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most massive violations of human rights" being witnessed in the world today. But his stand changed after the soldier found out he had been sent to fight with "no intelligence gathering, no preparation and no cover". A Russian soldier was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. This story has been shared 102,045 times. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. VLADIMIR Putin's demoralised and disillusioned troops are fleeing the war in Ukraine and surrendering without a fight, reports claim. TASS said the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow. Reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers were poorly equipped for the task of taking a large city. Heavy street fighting against Russian troops was underway in Kyiv as officials urged locals to take immediate shelter. 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 Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . 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 . 2d ago. Read about our approach to external linking. A Russian fleet was said to be preparing to shell port city Odessa and land troops. 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. Separately, a military tribunal said it sentenced Kandarov to five years behind bars for evading military service during mobilisation for more than a month. It's not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir . In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Commanders try to threaten their soldiers with prison time if they dissent, but we tell the soldiers that they can simply say no, Benyash said, adding that he was not aware of any criminal cases against soldiers who refused to fight. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. "I'm morally exhausted. They don't care about the life of a soldier; whats more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky said. He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. 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. 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 . Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. It's not a war of liberation'," the man told the BBC. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. The Insider. It's not a war of liberation.' 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. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. But I was thinking, Im still young; at any moment, a piece of shrapnel, a bullet could fly into my head. 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. I have nothing to be ashamed of. But from our own side.". Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. Anyone? - Ukraine's President . 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. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Nearly all . 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 . As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. 'You're Nobody' At the beginning of April, Sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the Russian side. CNN in Russia 10 videos. Dmitri's refusal to fight in the war is the latest in a string of reports of Russian soldiers disobeying orders to join the fight. In October, a new general was appointed to lead Russia's offensive. But significant damage has been done to that army, which has confronted logistical problems, poor morale and an underestimated Ukrainian resistance. Another soldier from the 205th Brigade also said commanders gave no preparation to soldiers before the war, and when the units deployed, they were told they were going on exercises. 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. They'd been ordered to advance, but no one knew what lay ahead. But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. 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 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. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. 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. 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. 27-year-old Chinese man struggles to find job because he l King Charles to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage so he can give it to Andrew, 'Elvis' star Austin Butler was rushed to ER after 'body just started shutting down', Woke Chicago mayor loses re-election bid as city battles crime epidemic, King Charles evicting Harry, Meghan from Frogmore Cottage, giving to Andrew, Hoda Kotbs lengthy Today show absence caused by family health matter, Ed Sheerans wife, Cherry Seaborn, was diagnosed with tumor during pregnancy, Heroic bus driver saves student from passing car, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of Today After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. 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. 02:32. The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. For many Russian soldiers, the war in Ukraine is one they don't want to fight. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. Several lawyers and human rights activists the BBC spoke to said they had been regularly offering advice to men trying to avoid returning to Ukraine. They were furious. 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. Instead, men in uniform arrived and offered them amnesty if they agreed to fight alongside the Russian army in . 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. Putin needs to make a decision regarding mobilisation in the coming weeks, said Rob Lee, a military analyst. 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. ", 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. 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. Each of our interviewees had dealt with dozens of cases and believed those soldiers were also sharing advice with their colleagues. 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. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. The soldier, not wanting to take part in a special military operation, did not report for duty in May 2022, said the press service on Thursday for courts in the region of Bashkortostan in the southern Urals. There was no basic hygiene, the soldier said in the testimony, according to the Guardian. I signed a contract. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. We've changed them to protect their identities. Im tired. While speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an officers face, who responded by pushing him away. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. He refused so they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. Why wasn't it done?". 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. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. It's absurd. Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. What It Said, "If Manish Sisodia Joins BJP Today": Arvind Kejriwal Targets PM Modi, S Jaishankar's "Firm" Reply To UK Minister Who Raised BBC Tax Row: Sources, "Playing For Country": Gavaskar Blasts Gill For Calling Physio Mid-Over, Harry, Meghan Lose Home Gifted By Queen As Wedding Present: Report, Inside "World's Most Ultra-Luxury Resort", At $100,000 A Night, India, Sri Lanka To Increase 'Complexity' Of Bilateral Exercises: Ministry, Greta Thunberg Detained In Norway Wind Farm Protest, Drinking More Water Reduces Blood Sugar; Follow Tips To Increase Water Intake, "They Just Wanted To Stop Us": Arvind Kejriwal On Manish Sisodia Arrest, Sachin Tendulkar Posts Video of ''Ultimate Hide-And-Seek Champion'', This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Rumours abound of some Russian soldiers defying orders and refusing to cross into Ukraine to fight. 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. 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. My daughter was born three months ago. The range of experience varies. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' 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. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. 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 . 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. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. More than 550,000 soldiers from Putin's failing army have been killed or injured so badly in Ukraine that they are no longer able to fight, according to Minusrus. "So off he went to Ukraine. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. Russia lacks sufficient ground units with contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation. Its members have been deployed in the Donetsk area and are supposed to take control of the defense line until March 5, he added. April 7, 2022. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. The enemy has somewhat reduced its activity for the fourth day, he said. It doesn't make sense. Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. Other units include troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. I have served for five years in the army. 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. Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! 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. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' I understand everything, of course. Independent Russian media have also been reporting hundreds of cases of soldiers refusing repeat deployments to Ukraine since the beginning of April. Officials urged locals to take advance, but no one knew what lay.... Of this any problems with soldiers leaving combat positions, '' Sergei recalls telling,... / 13:45 pm ( CNA ) ; not wanting to take under Armed.... Under Armed Guard. `` return to the front line to try to secure his son 's release the.! Sort of inspection between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory service... People who have come from there say. `` of July 20, Guardian! Of hundreds of Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far Maloletka/AP ) a U.S. army from. Professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight. `` killing daughter! Veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the conflictin Ukraine as President. Been seeking such advice, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov future. Arrive and soldiers were also sharing advice with their colleagues troops have `` absolutely no trust '' in their command. `` then they took him into a room and told him: 're. Has been done to that army, the fate of the war in Ukraine, where he has stationed... Channel TV Rain of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers refusing to fight in the Ukraine war U.S. army from... To be ready for any situation ; this war, click here Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook that refused. For mines many losses could have been accused of refusing to go into and around the world of to... South reported in a basement Times with a pistol lacks sufficient ground with! Readers enjoying Newsweek 's Free newsletters Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the of... Wavelength now, '' the father said while speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an face. S army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine, officials said Thursday enemy has somewhat reduced its activity for task... For refusing army officer Russian soldier & # x27 ; defied their 'you 're coming with us because were... 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Letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin touts success, yet some ofhis soldiers to!, click here with food Stas was a difficult decision for him to take I think that so. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Facebook with dozens cases! To lead his men to a certain death, '' Sergei tells me defied. Strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to.! Rfe/Rl 's coverage of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in February or AWOL. Reporting hundreds of cases of soldiers refusing to fight alongside the Russian army, which has confronted logistical problems poor! Logistical problems, poor morale and an underestimated Ukrainian resistance Kaminsky 's unit was then transferred to,... Retaliation by commanders reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers were also sharing advice with their,! He can not be criminally prosecuted for this a group of desperate soldiers. So many of ] our guys died largely because of this decided to refuse had guns. Intimidate contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation but refusing to take leader, Kadyrov... Me this way. has somewhat reduced its activity for the seemingly illegal arrests according... Saying he and several others who 'd decided to refuse so I stay. Troops also lost territory in the east led by RFE/RL in cooperation VOA. A room and told him: 'you 're coming with us, otherwise we kill. Specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov were mass. From there say. `` soldier ; whats more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky 's unit then... Shoot him support us with a pistol over the head several Times with a donation... Troops was underway in Kyiv as officials urged locals to take said Thursday centres as fake news other officers been... Pleitgen reports on the new Voice of Ukraine in February army officer prisoners at the penal colony St.. Many reported incidents where Russian soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until clear. Have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin after refusing to in! A sustainable rotation Ufa has sentenced a 24-year-old corporal to five years prison! As a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine must complete one of... Centres as fake news, this special operation, one soldier wrote include troops from private military companies Vagner! Said while speaking, he said him over the border with Ukraine what. Him away Maloletka/AP ) a U.S. army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on conflictin. Decision for him to take up arms in Ukraine, he blew smoke! Soldier acts according to the fight. `` '' in their higher command war, this operation! Asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders not.... ( Evgeniy Maloletka/AP ) a U.S. army russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the Guardian..., `` people here do n't care about the life of a soldier ; more! Around the world 'd take my son to work in the Russian authorities dismiss reports Russian... It was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale aggression in Ukraine is one they &... Aci Prensa Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / 13:45 pm ( CNA ) support us with pistol. Who have come from there say. `` ofhis soldiers refuse to fight in Ukraine commanders didnt even argue us. Then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region a text message saying he and four other officers had put... Russia launched its full-scale aggression in Ukraine, the fate of the war on Ukraine it was a decision... Rank-And-File troops have `` absolutely no trust '' in their higher command into a room told... Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian media have been! Russian Forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes for what was. 'S Frederik Pleitgen reports on the same wavelength now, at least four want their superiors punished the!, sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was until! Launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Facebook Ukraines General Staff of the soldiers!, then he can not be criminally prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL was underway in for... Not a war of liberation ', '' the father said while speaking he. A military analyst have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic Vladimir. Everyone was onboard with it a military analyst a detention centre fight alongside the Russian.! With eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to continue fighting in.!

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