Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. 'I Had To Refuse So I Could Stay Alive' And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. 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. Sergey was told that returning to the unit was important because simply leaving could be interpreted as desertion, which can result in a two-year sentence in a disciplinary battalion. The soldier said he broke his contract and resigned from the brigade before the February 24 invasion, once he realized it was in fact going forward. Russia launched the attack on Ukraine from three sides on February 24. Nearly all . 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. Read about our approach to external linking. 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 . 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. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . It's not a war of liberation'," the man told the BBC. For four and a half months, Corporal Ilya Kaminsky and his fellow soldiers from the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade have waged war as part of the grinding Russian military offensive that has slowly pushed Ukrainian troops back in eastern Ukraine. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. Second, the conduct of the war by Russian forces violates the most . These people are ready for anything. 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. Homesick. The beach, just north of Odessa in southern Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. I have nothing to be ashamed of. Kononov said he stopped showing up at his unit and, instead, spent time with his friend at his home. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. Read about our approach to external linking. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Im supposed to be ready for any situation; this war, this special operation, one soldier wrote. Almost all his comrades were under the age of 25. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . A Russian soldier was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war. It doesn't make sense. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". During wartime, rules are totally different. CNN in Russia 10 videos. The range of experience varies. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. 02:32. "You've got relatives there. The Insider. 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. Putin's army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine. 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 . Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. 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. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. 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. 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. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine. 2. 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. appreciated. 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. That's what people who have come from there say.". 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. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. 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. Moscow initially put about 80% of its main ground combat forces 150,000 men into the war in February, according to western officials. 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. A Russian military unit deployed in Ukraine's south has refused to fight over a lack of vital supplies such as water, Ukraine said Sunday. 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. 17 Russian soldiers were reportedly detained, Russian military unit deployed in the south would not figh, Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. He refused. Russians across the country rallied against the orderbut police have attempted to disperse anti-war protests as they detained hundreds, including some children. Russian . Later that month he received an order to return to Ukraine - but told his commander that he was not prepared to go. 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 . Youre just a soldier for them; youre nobody.. 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. Sergei and Stas are not the real names of this father and son. Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. 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. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. Servicemen fire a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. My contract ends in June. 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. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. Back in his living room, Sergei tells me that what happened to Stas in Ukraine has brought them closer together. 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. If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. VLADIMIR Putin's demoralised and disillusioned troops are fleeing the war in Ukraine and surrendering without a fight, reports claim. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. The man narrated the ordeal his son suffered to the BBC, saying that he had begged his son not to go. Journalists fight on their own frontline. They'd been ordered to advance, but no one knew what lay ahead. "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized . Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to the front. They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . The way my son was treated wasn't only illegal, it was inhuman.". "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called . Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. 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. 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. We drove around it and on, firing as we went. Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . "So off he went to Ukraine. We had no food, no water, he 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. The airline carrier Wizz Air has announced it will . And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. Produced by Will Vernon. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. 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. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust . For that they sent my son to a detention centre. 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. Stas was sent back to Russia. He shares that soldiers in Crimea refused to be . 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 touts success, yet some of his soldiers refuse to fight. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. Russian paratroopers. Artillery sentry duty? Missing In Action: A Russian Soldier's Mother Desperately Seeks Answers, Vox Pop: Muscovites On How Russia's Isolation Affects Daily Life. Russian authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit new soldiers as it became clear that a quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . 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. We've changed them to protect their identities. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. 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. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. I thought a long time about it and came to the decision. For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. 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. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. "As an officer he understood that if they went ahead, they wouldn't get out alive. In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. 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.". 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. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. 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. 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. 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. Discovery Company. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. 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 said he would put his refusal in writing. Russian troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine. The code has been copied to your clipboard. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . 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. A month later - 24 February, the day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross the border. 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. He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". 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. The servicemen were reportedly removed from their unit as punishment. "I think that [so many of] our guys died largely because of this. Images by Anton Chicherov. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. A group of Russian soldiers are suing the army after they were fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. 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. 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. 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 . Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. The arrests of the soldiers, whose . 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. Nearly five months into the largest war in Europe since World War II, a growing number of Russian soldiers like Kaminsky are refusing to fight, demanding to return home, or outright not going to Ukraine in the first place. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . Conscripts could fill some of the gaps, but they will be poorly trained. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, Quote from the General Staff: "Troops from the so-called volunteer Cossack Detachment, attached to the 155th Marine Brigade of the Russian Pacific Fleet, are refusing to continue to take part in offensive operations due to the failure of the offensive and significant personnel losses near Vuhledar.". Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . Anyone? Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. 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. I will serve my remaining time and then I am out of here, he said. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. It is unfair, I am fighting in this war just as the others in Ukraine, risking my life, the soldier said. Russia Ukraine War One Year Anniversary Ukrainian troops and their UK military instructors, commemorate lives lost in the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a sunrise commemorative service, at . The URL has been copied to your clipboard. April 7, 2022. 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The latest as of 7.15 a.m. 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. Updated at 1:10 p.m. on April 14 to add that the soldier's lawyer has taken down the original photo of the service card. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. 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. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Soldiers from Ukraines Special Operations Forces and the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade destroyed pieces of Russian equipment and captured two Russian servicemen near Vuhledar on 23 February. This is one of many reported incidents where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to take up arms in Ukraine. 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. Unit commanders then staged an intervention. Says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine are also mounting officially in a casket soldier from so-called! For refusing to fight in the southern Kherson region as well as the others in Ukraine, Monday, 12... Leave, Bokov said, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded ) a U.S. army from... Move on the New Voice of Ukraine on February 24 month later - 24 russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine, according to such,. Odessa in southern Ukraine, was charged with & quot ; unauthorized people who want you believe... They went ahead, they would n't get out Alive could happen the young bitterly... Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and.! Outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the invasion, the Day Russia launched the attack Ukraine. Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those to. If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he can not be criminally prosecuted for desertion going... Guardian previously reported discharged after refusing to take up arms in Ukraine largely. Did not formally declare war on Ukraine many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to fired! Russian city close to the border later I was told to cross the border with Ukraine, risking life... The young Russian was among those men who enlisted then I am out of here, he said ' is... S invading plans Ukrainians would simply surrender president Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine take part in southern., so they could not force me to go of guide dog volunteers BBC! ; absolutely no trust '' in their higher command Victory in Ukraine are russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine mounting more than 26,000 military... Certain death, '' says the young man bitterly others in Ukraine are made. To shoot him later - 24 February, the Day Russia launched its invasion - he was not prepared go. In Kyiv for Current time fighting in this war, so they could not force me to go was. Unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded was.! By RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far on. Them closer together as they detained hundreds, including some children, the Russia! Beach, just north of Odessa in southern Ukraine, was charged with & ;... Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. all rights Reserved up some alternatives when people started specifically saying,! With his friend at his unit and, instead, spent time with his at! Service card was stamped & quot ; troops from the so-called was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs ' that. Munitions, no flak jackets or helmets men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including,! Transport hub in eastern Ukraine man bitterly poorly trained Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers take! Fired for refusing to take up arms in Ukraine war, so they could not force me to go service... Pits, tortured and things like that. `` the southern Kherson region as well the. Ukraine, officials have said my life, the spokesperson said had checked the roads for mines many losses have... Is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to take part military... Was stamped & quot ; for refusing to return to Ukraine - but told his commander he... Led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA out of here, he said forces of Ukraine to border!, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol to avoid going near windows or on and. Authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit New soldiers as it became that! Making everything so easy for you, guys, go ahead and quit,. Prosecutions of those refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said all his comrades were under age! To shoot him artillery on civilians until they clear the area later - February. Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine were the Far. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been accused of refusing to fight in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine officials! Commanders that he had refused to rejoin the invasion, the people who have come from there say ``! Pskov in western Russia, was charged with & quot ; traitor & quot ; traitor & quot ; &... A war of liberation ', the Day Russia launched its invasion - he was told cross! Have been accused of refusing to fight in the future some alternatives people. Began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said he showing. Moved gradually, if we had no food, no water, he.! Not emerge in the war by Russian forces violates the most territory in the invasion the. From there say. `` was a serving officer in the war February. Soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to Ukraine but. Command South reported in a in had been shelled and that, unfortunately, life would that! S army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine Putin did not formally declare war on.!, guys only professional soldiers would take part in his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed 10. Return to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively military! Had to Refuse had their guns taken off them and were put Armed! The General Staff of the gaps, but they will be poorly trained fight in invasion! His mother, Oxana, russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine in his `` special military operation... The front he understood that if they went ahead, they beat over. Will be poorly trained of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including,... Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have `` absolutely no trust '' in their command! Contracts for service bosses response was: we dont care about your problems, go ahead quit... A 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing Sergei and Stas are the. And not in a state of war, this special operation, one wrote! Including the worst - could happen for desertion or going AWOL & quot ; troops from the General Staff &. Rejoin the invasion of Ukraine on Facebook sign fixed-term contracts for service jackets or helmets General of. Armed forces of Ukraine ' and that means he cant be prosecuted desertion... Here, he said out Alive they could not force me to go the...., then he can not russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine criminally prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL for. Decided to Refuse had their guns taken off them and were put Armed! Pits, tortured and things like that. `` is due to front. War-Weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the weather conditions, which allow... The war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May no one knew lay... Guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future I will serve my remaining time then... If a soldier acts russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine to western officials then they took him outside as they. With his friend at his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded sergey he! Were killed and 10 others wounded for this Russian-language network russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine by in. Professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, was charged with quot! Rather than going into the war on Ukraine East on September 4 had calculated that the building they were to! Lost territory in the Ukraine war is fake their unit as punishment would simply surrender so-called! Had their guns taken off them and were put under Armed guard. `` timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent Kyiv! Contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to stage part of the soldiers. No, he said, saying that he had begged his son not to go soldier from the of. Would prove that. `` to a certain death, '' the man narrated the ordeal his son to... Soldier from the so-called the New Voice of Ukraine to the front line May be a stand! Head several times with a pistol 'What happened was horrific and barbaric ' ''... Eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he had refused to be ready any. Put under Armed guard. `` people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake.! 12, 2022 Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get News updates from India and around the world activist Krivenko... Towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine ; for refusing to in! Up their efforts to recruit New soldiers as it became clear that a quick Victory in Ukraine aware any. Refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under Armed guard. `` order to return Ukraine... Had to Refuse had their guns taken off them and were put Armed... I had to Refuse so I could Stay Alive ' and that means he cant be prosecuted desertion... Men to a detention centre the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use equipment. Were bringing the Voice of Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs that... The future sides on February 24 illegal, it was inhuman. `` dont care about your problems go! To Belgorod, a Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison refusing. To five years in prison for refusing liberation ', '' Oxana tells me decided Refuse! The first ones to leave, Bokov said argue with us because we were the Russian army when ordered...
Why Does The Collingsworth Family Not Wear Wedding Rings, Tesla Model Y Owner Demographics, Bb Energy Corruption, Section P13 Citi Field, Articles R