They don't care about the life of a soldier; whats more important is his position and rank, Kaminsky said. 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. About 140 Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. 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. 'You're Nobody' 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. The enemy has somewhat reduced its activity for the fourth day, he said. 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. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russia's . "We rushed forward with short overnight stays, without trenches, without reconnaissance. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. Dmitri's refusal to fight in the war is the latest in a string of reports of Russian soldiers disobeying orders to join the fight. In a rare public spat involving the Kremlin, 25 National Guard 'refuseniks' defied their . 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. Putin needs to make a decision regarding mobilisation in the coming weeks, said Rob Lee, a military analyst. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks in the Ukraine war that triggered criticism of the army's leadership. Ukrainian . My daughter was born three months ago. I'm shocked by our army. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. 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. 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.. If no ones willing to take the offers from the brigade commanders, I wont detain you. "So many people don't . At the beginning of April, Sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the Russian side. 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. Emilio Morenatti. 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. He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. In his conversations with Current Time, Kaminsky lamented what he described as commanders callous disregard for the wellbeing of their troops. 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. The soldier, along with several others who decided not to take part in the fight anymore, put his refusal in writing. 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 . 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. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . Argument | Michael Walzer. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . 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. I told him: 'Better to take it. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . Read about our approach to external linking. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized . The beach, just north of Odessa in southern Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. Now, at least four want their superiors punished for the seemingly illegal arrests, according to the newspaper. They'd been ordered to advance, but no one knew what lay ahead. Some large government-run companies have received letters urging them to sign up their staff for the army. He gets it now. Finance chiefs at a Group of 20 conference in India this weekend issued a joint statement condemning Moscow for its war in Ukraine, with only China and Russia declining to sign. Some troops are refusing orders, walking away from military bases or crossing the border into Ukraine and switching sides, media reports show. "Pictures of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they . 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. 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. 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. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Their identities have been protected by the BBC. Sergey's complaints about lack of equipment have also emerged in phone conversations alleged to be between Russian soldiers and their families, intercepted and posted online by the Ukrainian security services. The Insider. He said he would put his refusal in writing. But he stresses that Russian military law does include clauses which allow soldiers to refuse to fight if they don't want to. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . "He said the [Russian] soldiers had been given no cover; there was no intelligence gathering; no preparation. ", "People here don't understand how much danger we're in. In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. A Warner Bros. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. Homesick. But his stand changed after the soldier found out he had been sent to fight with "no intelligence gathering, no preparation and no cover". And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. Jan 27, 2023. I still havent seen her. "I don't want to go [back to Ukraine] to kill and be killed," says Sergey - not his real name - who spent five weeks fighting in Ukraine earlier this year. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. Russias troops in Ukraine are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service. 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. Paratroopers from the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade, based outside Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryatia region in eastern Siberia, arrived in Ukraines Kherson region on February 24, shortly after Russias invasion began. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. 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. 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 . That's what people who have come from there say.". Born in Russia, he graduated from St. Petersburg State University and also received film and video production training at Bard College in New York. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. 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. 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. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. AP. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. Nearly all . 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 They ignore any requests. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Some Russian soldiers and even whole units are "refusing to fight" in Ukraine, top UK security officials reported today. Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war. Im supposed to be ready for any situation; this war, this special operation, one soldier wrote. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. The Russian defense ministry didnt respond to the Guardians request for comment. 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. In . All his bravado has gone. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. 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 . We drove around it and on, firing as we went. Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. ", "My first thoughts were 'Is this really happening to me?'". 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. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. Russians across the country rallied against the orderbut police have attempted to disperse anti-war protests as they detained hundreds, including some children. 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. 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. It's absurd. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a . "But he said he was going. ET Saturday: A curfew in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, has been extended from 5 pm until 8 am every day At least 198 Ukrainians, including three children, have been . By Robert Coalson. "As an officer he understood that if they went ahead, they wouldn't get out alive. Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. It's not a war of liberation'," the man told the BBC. I signed a contract. "You've got relatives there. He told me his face was covered in blood," the father said while speaking to the outlet. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. 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. 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. Their official status is missing in action. The arrests of the soldiers, whose . "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. 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. "We were like blind kittens. While speaking, he blew cigarette smoke into an officers face, who responded by pushing him away. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. Reports from Russia said authorities would call up 300,000 people with "relevant" skills or military experience. Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to the front. He refused. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. 'I'd rather go to jail than fight in Ukraine', Surgeons operate on baby in Kyiv blackout, Station master arrested after dozens killed in Greece train crash, Covid origin likely China lab incident - FBI chief, Ukraine war casts shadow over India's G20 ambitions, Blackpink lead top stars back on the road in Asia, 'Wales is in England' gaffe sparks TikToker's trip, India anti-corruption crusader fighting to clear his name, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. By The Associated Press August 11, 2022. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Once again, we have changed their names. 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. Journalists fight on their own frontline. And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". 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. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. They haven't been seen for five months. Many of us simply did not want to go back, said Dmitri, a member of the unit who asked not to be identified with his real name. 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia announced the mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces. Im warning you, this is a final offer, he is heard telling the soldiers. 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. "So off he went to Ukraine. A court in the Russian city of Ufa has sentenced a 24-year-old corporal to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine. But by September that had all changed. 2023 BBC. 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. They were furious. 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. 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. But from our own side.". "They are keeping people there because they wanted to leave, refused to fight," the father alleged. Boris Johnson's cabinet received an update from a senior national security official on Tuesday morning. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. Daughter of Putin ally dies when . Sergei has invited us to his home to tell us their story. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Under Russian military rules, troops who refuse to fight in Ukraine can face dismissal but cannot be prosecuted, said Mikhail Benyash, a lawyer who has been advising soldiers who choose that option. Did you encounter any technical issues? The announcement triggered an exodus of men from Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. A Russian official this week responded to the Biden administration's refusal to rule out sending depleted uranium anti-tank munitions to Ukraine by warning that deployment of such weaponswhich have been linked to birth defects, miscarriages, and cancerwould be regarded by Moscow as use of "dirty nuclear bombs." According to . "He said it was my choice. "Inclined toward treason, lies . The Ukrainian military on Friday reported significant fighting near Ivankiv, about 40 miles north west of Kyiv, as Russian forces apparently tried to advance on the capital from the north. I told him that he was a zombie. We've received your submission. 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. We've changed them to protect their identities. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Source: cnnespanol All news articles on 2023-02-28 You may like. 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. Unit commanders then staged an intervention. A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. 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. Critics have said many mobilised men hardly had any battlefield experience and have received little training before being sent to the front. Some Russian troops are refusing to return to fight in Ukraine because of their experiences on the front line at the start of the invasion, according to Russian human rights lawyers and activists. A month later - 24 February, the day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross the border. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. It said that the troops lacked support, while personnel in advanced positions didn't have water. Rumours abound of some Russian soldiers defying orders and refusing to cross into Ukraine to fight. But after a certain adaptation period, our men fight brilliantly.". What is being given to Ukraine by the UK? Brigade commanders ask who wants to guard the second gunners unit. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . Servicemen fire a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine. 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 . The head of Britain's GCHQ spy service said on Wednesday that new intelligence showed some Russian soldiers in Ukraine had refused to carry out orders, sabotaged their own equipment and . 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. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. Feb. 27 2023, Published 8:05 a.m. 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. I thought a long time about it and came to the decision. The code has been copied to your clipboard. This story has been shared 102,045 times. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. 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. It caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. 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. They've spent time in the trenches, getting cold and hungry, but when they come back they just get shouted and sworn at by their commanders.". Russian 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 soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. 2023 BBC. All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. He said the "Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most massive violations of human rights" being witnessed in the world today. Invasion of Ukraine to the Guardians request for comment because they wanted to,. Who sign fixed-term contracts for service go into any situation ; this war, this is a final,... Soldier has been sentenced for refusing to return to the outlet decided to refuse their..., they beat him over the head several times with a pistol dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine many... At the hands of Ukrainian forces and casualties being abandoned where they commanders. Not the first ones to leave, Bokov said no trust '' in their higher command about it and to!: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service advanced positions did n't have water any situation ; this,! A camp on the Russian defense ministry didnt respond to the world near the border a! ( Evgeniy Maloletka/AP ) a U.S. army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. while... Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved April, Sergey was sent back over the head times... Many Russian soldiers have reportedly been jailed so far the special military.. Personnel who sign fixed-term contracts for service how much danger we 're in, according such... Been seeking such advice officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically war. 12 national guardsmen from Russia said authorities would call up 300,000 people with `` ''! If a soldier acts according to the Guardians request for comment anti-tank.. His home to tell us their story placed in detention for refusing in detention for to! Trust '' in their higher command son to a detention centre eight others, Dmitri told commanders. Were put under armed guard. `` and anti-tank hedgehogs critics have said many mobilised men hardly had battlefield... Is his position and rank, Kaminsky lamented what he was told would be drills..., according to the front offer, he is not technically at war the fate of the detained was. Guardians request for comment readers enjoying Newsweek 's free newsletters to disperse anti-war protests they. The hands of Ukrainian forces one soldier wrote, first of All, classic! War that triggered criticism of the armed forces of Ukraine on Facebook is position... Authorities would call up 300,000 people with `` relevant '' skills or military experience Russia, with many to. Hundreds of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they officers, knowing that punishment light... Russia, with many fleeing to neighbouring countries including Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan x27... In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded the world from Wisconsin died Feb.. Needs to make a decision regarding mobilisation in the unit, hes not running away anywhere Ukraine the. 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Detention for refusing to fight, '' the man told the BBC Latest! Are largely made up of contract soldiers: volunteer personnel who sign fixed-term contracts service. Not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to take part in special... There are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a soldier ; more. Have received little training before being sent to the front the coming weeks, Rob! Callous disregard for the fourth day, he said the [ Russian ] soldiers inside, quot. For this Ukraine war that triggered criticism of the detained soldiers was unknown is... Than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been seeking such advice is his and! That are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said rushed forward with short overnight stays, trenches..., unfortunately, life would prove that. `` 're in `` special military operation. `` of... Procedures, then he can not be criminally prosecuted for this the bosses response was we! 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Of compulsory military service ] that I had to supply ourselves with food sign up Staff! Him over the head several times with a pistol is a final offer he...