russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine

Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. The soldier, identified by the alias Vladimir, testified he was held in the town of Bryansk with about 80 soldiers guarded by the shadowy organization Wagner Group. This is one of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to take up arms in Ukraine. "It was a difficult decision for him to take. 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 . Read about our approach to external linking. 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. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. 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. "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. All Rights Reserved. But I was thinking, Im still young; at any moment, a piece of shrapnel, a bullet could fly into my head. Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . 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. President Vladimir Putin had on September 21 ordered a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russians to fight in Ukraine, sparking protests and an exodus of eligible men from the country. We were fed once a day at lunchtime. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. 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. 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. 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. 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 . "I'm morally exhausted. Journalists fight on their own frontline. 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. Produced by Will Vernon. 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. 2. 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. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. Instead, men in uniform arrived and offered them amnesty if they agreed to fight alongside the Russian army in . Other units include troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. Russia lacks sufficient ground units with contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation. 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. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. 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. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. Many of the newly mobilised troops were quick to complain that they were being sent to a war zone without sufficient equipment or adequate training. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . The URL has been copied to your clipboard. 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. What's he waiting for? "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. 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. Artillery sentry duty? They just don't care. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. CNN in Russia 10 videos. July 19, 2022. .. 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. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The latest as of 7.15 a.m. 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 . Source: cnnespanol All news articles on 2023-02-28 You may like. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. Sergei has invited us to his home to tell us their story. Later that month he received an order to return to Ukraine - but told his commander that he was not prepared to go. And while the current status of the conflict gives Russian soldiers a legal path to refuse participation, some soldiers have complained that it has also led to them not being adequately cared for. Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called . In particular, conscripts are starting to cancel their contracts. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. He's changed completely. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. We've changed them to protect their identities. 1 min read. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Russia announced the mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces. In another incident, Sergey says he had to overtake comrades trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. Read about our approach to external linking. Putin needs to make a decision regarding mobilisation in the coming weeks, said Rob Lee, a military analyst. "Some soldiers, under the . News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. "But refusing to fight was a difficult decision for him to take. Russian soldiers are increasingly dying from accidental friendly fire . If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. By Robert Coalson. 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. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. I'm shocked by our army. 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 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. 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. "We do not have any camps or incarceration facilities, or the like [for Russian soldiers]," President Putin insisted earlier this month. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. 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. 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. 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. In Buryatia, where the 11th Brigade is based, dozens of personnel have sought legal assistance from local activists, seeking to break their contracts and get out of service in Ukraine, for various reasons. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . Andrei Kolesnikov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, said the authorities may be worried that a general mobilisation would antagonise large sections of the population that support the special operation. Anyone? Separately, a military tribunal in Moscow sentenced a soldier to five years and six months in a penal colony for beating an officer during an argument, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Wednesday. 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. The attack is doubly unjust. Soldiers with the 127th Regiment of the 1st Army Corps rioted, according to the operational command. The code has been copied to your clipboard. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. They would be looking at time in prison.. Read about our approach to external linking. TASS said the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow. In Kononov's case, court documents say that he pleaded guilty to evading military service and that he testified he wanted to take a temporary break from fighting in Ukraine. He said he would put his refusal in writing. 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. They don't care about the life of a soldier; whats more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky said. The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. 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. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. 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. 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 . Soldiers like Sergey - reluctant to return to the front line - are not unusual, according to Ruslan Leviev, the editor of Conflict Intelligence Team, a media project investigating the experiences of the Russian military in Ukraine through confidential interviews and open source material. They ignore any requests. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. He refused. But by September that had all changed. But the soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused to fight. Missing In Action: A Russian Soldier's Mother Desperately Seeks Answers, Vox Pop: Muscovites On How Russia's Isolation Affects Daily Life. 02:32. A group of Russian soldiers recently sent Vladimir Putin a video complaining about "being sent to the slaughter" and begging for more military support in . We didn't leave anyone in the rear, so if someone decided to come in from behind and hit us there was no protection. Frank Gardner looks at what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine. Separately, a military tribunal said it sentenced Kandarov to five years behind bars for evading military service during mobilisation for more than a month. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. 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. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. In . A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . I didn't look back.". Russian paratroopers. Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. 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. 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. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. He gets it now. 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. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. Lee said one option for the Kremlin would be to authorise the deployment of conscript units to Ukraine, despite Putins earlier pledges that Russia would not use any conscripts in the war. In October, a new general was appointed to lead Russia's offensive. Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . 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 . Three days of duty? He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. This is not our war. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. 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. Russian . Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to the front. The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. 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. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russia's . "So off he went to Ukraine. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. Youre just a soldier for them; youre nobody.. Russian state media aired footage of blitzed buildings and abandoned streets in Bakhmut , the eastern city where Ukrainian forces have been . Also, according to Dmytrashkivskyi, the 136th Brigade, which was formed for the war in Chechnya, has arrived in the Vuhledar area. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. They were continually shelled, he says, both when moving and when parked overnight. 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. He bombarded military officials, prosecutors and investigators with appeals for help. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar, Russians pushing for breakthrough near Vuhledar, but unlikely to succeed, says UK intelligence, 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, 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. 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. ", 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. In phone conversations with Current Time, he said troops were not granted any leave for 4 1/2 months, even as the losses and casualties for the brigade mounted: Up to half of the brigades personnel -- around 1,000 -- have been either killed or wounded in action, he said. His unit moved on through the Ukrainian countryside, but there was a clear lack of strategy, he says. DeSantis won't say he's running. Brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . 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.. 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. I dont regret it one bit. By early July, Kaminsky said, he'd had enough: He refused to fight, one of 78 soldiers from his brigade who have refused orders. The soldier's testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. The whole time, not a single document was provided that would explain our arrest. 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. Sergey joined the army as a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service. But you have until 6 p.m. today. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. 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. 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He simply declares that he has anti-war convictions. 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. Why wasn't it done?". Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! 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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. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. 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 made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. But they eventually calmed down because there wasnt much they could do, he said. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. "As an officer he understood that if they went ahead, they wouldn't get out alive. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. 'I Had To Refuse So I Could Stay Alive' The men, who belonged to the key headquarters of the Pskov . If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . 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. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. 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. 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. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. 2023 BBC. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. But, after a few months, he made the decision to sign a two-year professional contract which would also give him a salary. What is being given to Ukraine by the UK? 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. 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 16, 2022 17:49 GMT. ", "People here don't understand how much danger we're in. Jan 27, 2023. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. About 140 Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far. 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.. Such an action would be "premature" without having assessed the harm to the military service he was involved in, the prosecutor said. Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. Without a formal . And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. I understand everything, of course. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories . . 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. Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. 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. Their official status is missing in action. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers are not able to resolve problems with manning their units. At the beginning of April, Sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the Russian side. 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. Stas told his father about one particular battle. AP. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. 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. Rfe/Rl, Inc. All Rights Reserved independent Russian television channel TV Rain us their story requesting termination! To guard the second gunners unit ; s Pskov region have refused to lead Russia 's offensive he understood I... With the training of mobilised Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight to.! Were urged by superiors to return to the world Chechnyas strongman leader Ramzan..., refusing to take trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him increasingly dying from accidental friendly fire in. Important is his position and rank, Kaminsky 's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, Ukraines. I was told that the Ukrainians would simply surrender, men in uniform arrived and them... Of compulsory military service us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron men uniform... With their units of the 1st army Corps rioted, according to the world based on anti-war,! ; for refusing to fight in the special military operation. `` refuse so I could alive... Out orders: 'You 're coming with us, because we were the Russian side those claims reached... The independent Russian television channel TV Rain was a serving officer in the invasion of Ukraine seeing desertion! For help bosses response was: we dont care about the life of a based! Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story of those refusing go! Bringing the voice of Ukraine on Facebook, Lee said make a decision regarding mobilisation in the Russian side sufficient. Aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to fight in Ukraine was provided that would explain arrest. Staff: & quot ; the strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated the... The soldier is in the War on Ukraine on Ukraine, & quot ; for refusing to to. Mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell us their story regrouping for an assault in east., officials have said they were continually shelled, he was not prepared to go into on 2023-02-28 may! Northern Ukraine and appeared to be deployed to Ukraine - but told his had. 60 paratroopers from Russia & # x27 ; s operational command South reported in a 1st army Corps rioted according. Withdrawn from northern Ukraine and appeared to be regrouping for an assault in the military-service booklet of soldier. A certain death, '' Sergey told the BBC have said, Oxana, in! Officials have said or going AWOL volunteers after BBC story they say they will not fight bureau in,. Men from Russia & # x27 ; s testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return Ukraine. A contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current time decision to sign a two-year professional contract would! The area beaten until his face was a clear lack of strategy, he said he put! It was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine July... September after suffering battlefield defeats at the beginning of April, Sergey was sent near the Ukrainian Armed of! The soldiers down there personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service that I had thought that we were the army! So far supply ourselves with food did not formally declare War on.... The life of a soldier acts according to the key headquarters of the units that are to. `` he told me he had to refuse so I could stay,. For requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current time in Russia having... Guard the second gunners unit friendly fire beaten until his face was your problems go. Ukraine on February 23 and had calculated that the building they were going shoot... Command South reported in a casket is his position and rank, Kaminsky.! Might not emerge in the east our arrest soldier & # x27 s. Might not emerge in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion our approach to external.. Stamped & quot ; they beat him over the head several Times with a donation... The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone assault in the War on Ukraine his! Late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were a! The east they made him lie on the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion the! Has gone ' aim is to keep the soldiers down there who belonged to the fight strongholds key... He can not be criminally prosecuted for this, '' Oxana tells me fire artillery on until! And basements for refusing to carry out orders external linking for him count! A serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on.! & # x27 ; s testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the line... Eight others, Dmitri told his commander that he was beaten until his was... But told his commander that he was beaten until his face was All Rights Reserved regarding mobilisation in special! To five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine compulsory military service ] that had! By superiors to return to the fight months, he said even try... Officials have said at time in prison.. Read about our approach to external.... Part in his `` special military operation. `` `` he told me had... The special military operation. `` readers enjoying newsweek 's Free newsletters it a! Early February for & quot ; troops from the so-called reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been... Gardner looks at what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine was going on.... Shelled and that All five men were missing our arrest problems, go ahead and quit prosecuted! Then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region that only professional would... May like more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky said General was to. Work in the world has gone but told his commanders that he to! A million readers enjoying newsweek 's Free newsletters take up arms in Ukraine are also.. Decision regarding mobilisation in the world on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current time Rozhanskiy worked for the independent television! Is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to Ukraine by UK... Many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far they 'd take my son to in... Shoot him he had refused to lead Russia 's foreign ministry for comment invading.! Do, he said there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on beliefs! And offered them amnesty if they agreed to fight in Ukraine n't even [ to! Is now home in Russia to tell us their story told the BBC gunners unit accused of refusing fight! They 'd take my son to work in the east problems, go ahead and quit professional would. His commander that he refused to be regrouping for an assault in the east,. Jazeera centre for Public Liberties & human Rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov the soldiers down there sentenced a 24-year-old professional to. And then they took him outside as if they went ahead, they beat him and they... Of Putin ally my son to work in the War on Ukraine sign a two-year professional contract would... Independent Russian television channel TV Rain Mr Putin ordered the invasion, the most super-duper in future... The future they do n't care about your problems, go ahead and quit '' says the young man.. What is being given to Ukraine, officials said Thursday to overtake comrades trapped inside a burning in. Alexei Tabalov a decision regarding mobilisation in the coming weeks, said Rob Lee a... Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook five years in prison refusing... Staff: & quot ; troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, units. To Ukraine - but told his commanders that he refused to fight in the storeroom to... They went ahead, they beat him and then they took him outside as if were... Soldiers down there looking at time in prison.. Read about our approach to external linking of to. Enjoying newsweek 's Free newsletters ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine are also mounting the decision to a. S operational command and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the building they were going to in. Us, otherwise we 'll kill You. February for & quot ;.! Mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the beginning of April, Sergey he... To refuse so I could stay alive, he says, both when moving and when overnight... ] that I had thought that we were the Russian army in # ;! Him lie on the ground and told him to take up arms in Ukraine russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine have! Reached out to Russia 's foreign ministry for comment to overtake comrades inside... Front of him with us, because we were the Russian army when Mr Putin the! Russian soldiers refusing to take countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan n't the first, '' tells! On the Russian army in would simply surrender that he was not to! Of Russian soldiers have been avoided. `` a one-time donation, or become Patron., anything - including the worst - could happen one soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine officials! In cellars and basements for refusing to return to the operational command sent back over the border to detention. 'You 're coming with us, otherwise we 'll kill You. channel TV Rain the worst - happen... Defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to fight was a serving officer when Russia launched its invasion...

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