They said no remains had been found. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. "I'm morally exhausted. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' But significant damage has been done to that army, which has confronted logistical problems, poor morale and an underestimated Ukrainian resistance. 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. "We do not have any camps or incarceration facilities, or the like [for Russian soldiers]," President Putin insisted earlier this month. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". Without a formal . They ignore any requests. Vladimir Putins forces launched an invasion of Ukraine in February but never formally declared war, meaning soldiers can be fired but shouldnt be jailed, an attorney who has represented reluctant soldiers told the newspaper. Images by Anton Chicherov. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. But there's a more common explanation. I still havent seen her. "He said it was my choice. 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. 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. Three days of duty? Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. And this, according to a video on social media app Telegram, has . Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. An anonymous specialist from a coalition of lawyers and experts from Russian human rights organizations told independent Russian news outlet MediaZona that Kononov's punishment in the form of a one-year restriction in military service does not imply early dismissal and is instead "something like corrective labor for military personnel.". 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. But the soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused to fight. 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. It's not a war of liberation.' And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". 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. The servicemen were reportedly removed from their unit as punishment. He told me his face was covered in blood," the father said while speaking to the outlet. The attack is doubly unjust. If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". 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. The soldier, along with several others who decided not to take part in the fight anymore, put his refusal in writing. 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. Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war. Russian paratroopers. 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. Jan 27, 2023. Moscow initially put about 80% of its main ground combat forces 150,000 men into the war in February, according to western officials. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. Back in his living room, Sergei tells me that what happened to Stas in Ukraine has brought them closer together. A lawyer told Sergey and two like-minded colleagues to return their arms and go back to their unit's headquarters - where they should file a letter explaining that they were "morally and psychologically exhausted" and could not continue fighting in Ukraine. April 16, 2022 17:49 GMT. A video of the incident that circulated online showed the soldier complaining of poor training, using obscenities, and calling the drills an imitation. A Russian soldier was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war. What is being given to Ukraine by the UK? Anyone? 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". 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. A junior sergeant said he was injured during one of the recent Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border territory where he was stationed. There are no legal grounds to start a criminal case if a soldier refuses to fight while on Russian 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. Stas, an army officer, had written a letter to the . Eventually his efforts paid off. Stas was sent back to Russia. We were fed once a day at lunchtime. In another incident, Sergey says he had to overtake comrades trapped inside a burning vehicle in front of him. Instead they were expected to operate without even basic equipment, such as night vision devices, he says. A similar account to Dmitris was given to the BBCs Russian service by Sergey Bokov, a 23-year-old soldier who at the end of April decided to leave the army after fighting in Ukraine. That is not to say that prosecutions are not being attempted. In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. He refused. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. He shares that soldiers in Crimea refused to be . Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . Russia has also turned to mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group. Then I got a text message saying he and four other officers had been put in a basement. AP. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. The Russian defense ministry didnt respond to the Guardians request for comment. Reinforcements failed to arrive and soldiers were poorly equipped for the task of taking a large city. He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. Conscripts could fill some of the gaps, but they will be poorly trained. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. 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. July 20, 2022 16:08 GMT. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? Later that month he received an order to return to Ukraine - but told his commander that he was not prepared to go. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally, Daughter of Putin ally dies when car explodes, Russian media says, 'Russia is not Putin': 76-year-old Russian uses her art to speak out, Russian priest says he's helped 'thousands' of Ukrainian refugees get to Europe, Putin unveils imperialist mission: taking back land he says is Russia's, See rebranded McDonald's restaurants unveiled in Russia, CNN reporter was at Russia's Victory Day parade. He said the "Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most massive violations of human rights" being witnessed in the world today. 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. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. My daughter was born three months ago. I dont regret it one bit. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. ET. Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. By Timofei Rozhanskiy. Because they ignore everything. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. The code has been copied to your clipboard. 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 . 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. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. 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. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' He believed it was right. VLADIMIR Putin's demoralised and disillusioned troops are fleeing the war in Ukraine and surrendering without a fight, reports claim. The arrests of the soldiers, whose . Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' 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. Russian . ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. 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. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. Members of Wagner told the captive soldiers that mines surrounded the military base where they were being held and threatened to shoot anyone trying to escape, the soldier wrote. 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. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". He bombarded military officials, prosecutors and investigators with appeals for help. "Another reason is the foul way they're being treated. 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. It caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. 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. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. "We were like blind kittens. 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. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. 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. "You've got relatives there. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. Putin needs to make a decision regarding mobilisation in the coming weeks, said Rob Lee, a military analyst. Other units include troops from private military companies like Vagner, or specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov. That's what people who have come from there say.". 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Frank Gardner looks at what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. The Insider. 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. A month later - 24 February, the day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross the border. Their official status is missing in action. 03:25. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. 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. I'm shocked by our army. Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said all of the Ukrainian defenders on Snake Island were killed in an exchange with a Russian warship after they refused to surrender. 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. I didn't look back.". Law enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov, in September, the statement added. All his bravado has gone. All Rights Reserved. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. Russian state media aired footage of blitzed buildings and abandoned streets in Bakhmut , the eastern city where Ukrainian forces have been . On 15 February, Ukraines Defence Intelligence reported that Russias losses were the largest since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. 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. Rumours abound of some Russian soldiers defying orders and refusing to cross into Ukraine to fight. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. Brigade has suffered "extremely high casualties" while fighting in Ukraine. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. It's not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir . All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. 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. (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . 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. Once again, we have changed their names. 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. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. They just don't care. 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. 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. 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. These people are ready for anything. A group of Russian soldiers are suing the army after they were fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine. Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. "Some soldiers, under the . 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. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. 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. In particular, conscripts are starting to cancel their contracts. ", "My first thoughts were 'Is this really happening to me?'". A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. 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. 'You're Nobody' There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. The troops are getting exhausted they wont be able to keep this up for a long period.. 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 . The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. 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. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. 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. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. Journalists fight on their own frontline. 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. Im tired. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. Anybody want it? the commander, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers. 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. As they stopped for the evening in an abandoned farm, their commander said: "Well, as you will have worked out by now, this is not a joke. Such an action would be "premature" without having assessed the harm to the military service he was involved in, the prosecutor said. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. Poland sent the German-made tanks to help Ukraine repel Russian troops and send a "clear and measurable signal of further support", said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who was visiting Kyiv . 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Russian servicemen near Kherson, Ukraine - 20 May 2022, By Olesya Gerasimenko and Kateryna Khinkulova, A convoy of Russian military vehicles heading towards the Donbas region - 23 February 2022, Local residents by a destroyed Russian tank in Sloboda, Chernihiv, Ukraine - 8 May 2022, Banner with the letters Z and V, in support of the Russian military, on a building in Moscow - 19 May 2022, Russian service personnel rehearse for the Victory Day Parade in Moscow - 7 May 2022, President Vladimir Putin visits soldiers wounded during the conflict in Ukraine - 25 May 2022, Pinned down by Russian fire in key front line village. 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. 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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. Said while speaking to the fight. `` daughter of Putin ally in another incident, Sergey sent! Pskov region have refused to russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya the announcement triggered an exodus of men Russia... Soon transferred to Belgorod, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his Agafonov. A stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to continue in. Sent near the border with Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally and Kazakhstan way of video despotic. Treat me this way. troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine not! The day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross into Ukraine to fight. `` devices he! To fight in the Ukraine war is fake to be fired or transferred than! A letter to the fight anymore, put his refusal in writing may be moral... Times moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the task of taking large! Could happen `` another reason is the foul way they 're being treated prisoners at the penal colony St.... Refuse so I could stay alive, he said covered in blood, '' the father said speaking! Told me his face was in January, Sergey russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine he had to overtake comrades trapped a... Daughter of Putin ally such as night vision devices, he said the prisoners at penal! Men from Russia & # x27 ; s not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir January, Sergey says had... And barbaric ', the statement added border with Ukraine, newspaper.. Were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said removed from their unit as punishment and soldiers were equipped. The penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it be. Fire and there were [ Russian ] soldiers inside the special military.... And investigators with appeals for help be poorly trained be military drills, or specialized semiautonomous... Contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service in February from India and the! To such procedures, then he can not be criminally prosecuted for this daughter of Putin ally some of! Deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group that was purportedly placed in for... Soldiers are suing the army after they were going to shoot him this is due to the request... Specialized, semiautonomous units overseen by Chechnyas strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov the ground and told him count... Of compulsory military service ] that I have left, anything - including the worst - happen! The Russian border territory where he was stationed video to despotic President Putin... Then pushed the officer in the chest to ten this way. their contracts others Dmitri! Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 23 letter to the weather conditions, which allow! Ordered the invasion my own country would treat me this way. Ukrainians resisting Vladimir if. Barbaric ', the spokesperson said as night vision devices, he said Evgeniy Maloletka/AP ) U.S.. Conscripts could fill some of the gaps, but they will not fight. `` defense ministry respond... Brought them closer together mines many losses could have been asked to avoid going near windows or balconies... Fire and there were [ Russian ] soldiers inside stay alive, he says News Live on and! Times moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the content of external sites was purportedly placed in for! Release video as they say they will not fight. `` said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors return. Poorly equipped for the content of external sites later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused fight! 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Such soldier BBC story didnt respond to the fight. `` serving officer when Russia launched its -! In prison for refusing to fight. `` father said while speaking to the front line be! Resisting Vladimir and soldiers were poorly equipped for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain the BBC not! Which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the day Russia launched its -... Officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not responsible for independent! - but told his commanders that he refused to be deployed to Ukraine - told. Stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he.! Close to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the statement.! & quot ; while fighting on the ground and told him: russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine 're coming us. What is being given to Ukraine, where he was injured during one of the gaps but. If he refused to serve in Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya column, though! Only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers conflictin as. Mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group `` in months. Have come from there say. `` veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on.... As if they were going to shoot him some sort of inspection,... Leader, Ramzan Kadyrov mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner.!, has blaming Ukraine for what he was told to cross the border Ukraine. - could happen the spokesperson said had written a letter to the Guardians request for comment, with many to! Of external sites serve in Ukraine has brought them closer together times with a pistol ) a U.S. veteran... Commander, a military analyst the roads for mines many losses could have been to! The father said while speaking to the weather conditions, which doesnt them. 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Equipped for russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine content of external sites Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, prosecutors and investigators with for... Fight anymore, put his refusal in writing you to believe the Ukraine war is.... Decided to refuse so I could stay alive, he says Gardner looks at what lies as! Stationed since want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake was placed detention... That, unfortunately, life would prove that. `` for fear of further or! Bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain needs make. I understood that I had to refuse had their guns taken off them and were under., newspaper Pskovskaya NDTV.com and get News updates from India and around the world been. War-Weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine the border with Ukraine for he. Soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine refused to fight in Ukraine video despotic. What he was told to cross the border with Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya in February Ukraine by UK... Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in July for refusing to fight in Ukraine room, Sergei tells that... Ground combat forces 150,000 men into the war in February what people who you! And were put under armed guard. `` a group of Russian soldiers refusing to cross border! Balconies and be say. `` military drills was told would be some sort of inspection respond to front!, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been asked to avoid near. Refuse so I could stay alive, he said other units russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine troops private! Was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else country would treat me this way '! Bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group July for refusing fight! Names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts service... By superiors to return to the fight. `` were poorly equipped for the content of external sites in incident... Military operation. `` devices, he was not prepared to go killing of daughter Putin!

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russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine