The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. But you have until 6 p.m. today. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. 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. What's he waiting for? 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.". Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. He gets it now. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. But by September that had all changed. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russia's . Albert Sakhibgareev was sent near the Ukrainian border in early February for "training exercises," the . 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. It's not a war of liberation.' Russian state media aired footage of blitzed buildings and abandoned streets in Bakhmut , the eastern city where Ukrainian forces have been . 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 . Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. There are no legal grounds to start a criminal case if a soldier refuses to fight while on Russian territory.. Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. Because they ignore everything. "But he said he was going. I dont regret it one bit. "But refusing to fight was a difficult decision for him to take. 'I Had To Refuse So I Could Stay Alive' The private then pushed the officer in the chest. Second, the conduct of the war by Russian forces violates the most . 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. By India Today Web Desk: As Russian troops try to take control over Ukraine's capital Kyiv, residents of the city are taking up arms to stand in the fight along with the country's military against Moscow's invasion.India Today's Rajesh Pawar visited an office of the Territorial Defence Forces in the city, where citizens are being equipped with weapons to defend against and fight off the . Not from the opposing side. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. DeSantis won't say he's running. The soldier, along with several others who decided not to take part in the fight anymore, put his refusal in writing. Russia lacks sufficient ground units with contract soldiers for a sustainable rotation. Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". Russia announced the mobilisation of 300,000 men in late September after suffering battlefield defeats at the hands of Ukrainian forces. 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.. In . Read also: UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar. Some Russian troops are refusing to return to fight in Ukraine because of their experiences on the front line at the start of the invasion, according to Russian human rights lawyers and activists. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized abandonment of the unit" in July, court records show. Anybody want it? the commander, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. At the beginning of April, Sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the Russian side. Source: cnnespanol All news articles on 2023-02-28 You may like. But there's a more common explanation. An investigation by the BBCs Russian service showed that Russias defence ministry filled employment websites with vacancies, offering people with no combat experience opportunities to join the army on lucrative short-term contracts. He refused so they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. It wouldn't cost much to equip us. "In these months [of compulsory military service] that I have left, anything - including the worst - could happen. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. By Timofei Rozhanskiy. Russian . "Some soldiers, under the . 'You're Nobody' They just don't care. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. 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. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. 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. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Dmitris refusal to fight highlights some of the military difficulties the Russian army has faced as a result of the Kremlins political decision not to formally declare war on Ukraine preferring instead to describe the invasion, which will soon reach its fourth month, as a special military operation. "You've got relatives there. I told him: 'Better to take it. 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. More than 100 Russian national guardsmen have been fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine, court documents show, in what looks to be the clearest indication yet of dissent among some parts of . 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. They haven't been seen for five months. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. After that, I wont look at any new offers.. If we had moved gradually, if we had checked the roads for mines many losses could have been avoided.". Russia has also turned to mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group. 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. July 19, 2022. UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar, Russians pushing for breakthrough near Vuhledar, but unlikely to succeed, says UK intelligence, Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election, Fiery Greece train collision kills 32, injures at least 85, A condition called POTS rose after covid, but patients can't find care, Drones fly deep inside Russia; Putin orders border tightened, Rep. Lauren Boebert Gets Absolutely Schooled By Jamie Raskin Using Trump's Own Words, Russia redeploys unit of brigade created for war against Chechen Republic of Ichkeria near Vuhledar, Ukrainian Forces Demobilize Russian Tanks Near Frontline Town, Irkutsk conscripts appeal to Putin for third time for being sent to war without training, Multiple Russian Armored Vehicles Destroyed in Single Battle, Ukrainian Brigade Says, The mysterious death of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrovs favorite fighter. The Insider. Along with eight others, Dmitri told his commanders that he refused to rejoin the invasion. "We're on the same wavelength now," Sergei tells me. Russians might be in favour of the conflict, but they dont actually want to fight, he said, adding that a general mobilisation would entail colossal losses of untrained soldiers. While the exact number of soldiers refusing to fight remains unclear, such stories illustrate what military experts and western governments say is one of Russias biggest obstacles in Ukraine: a severe shortage of infantry soldiers. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. 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. 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 . 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. I didnt think I would quit, but it happened because of my wifes difficult pregnancy, when I asked for a delay until after she gave birth, a third soldier told Current Time in a VK message. 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. The refusenik troops add to Russian commanders headaches as they struggle to replenish spent and exhausted units across the roughly 480-kilometer (300-mile) front line stretching from east of Kharkiv in the northeast down to Kherson in south-central Ukraine. As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. 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. 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. The Kremlin has declined to call for a general mobilization to replenish lost troops, instead using what analysts have described a covert, hybrid campaign to recruit fresh troops: using private military companies, extended age limitations, lucrative financial incentives, and sometimes coercive persuasion to bolster the ranks. Theyre making everything so easy for you, guys. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. "Pictures of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they . But then someone said they'd take my son to work in the storeroom. Law enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov, in September, the statement added. Im supposed to be ready for any situation; this war, this special operation, one soldier wrote. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. Refusal then would mean much harsher penalties. Instead, men in uniform arrived and offered them amnesty if they agreed to fight alongside the Russian army in . Three days of duty? Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. Critics have said many mobilised men hardly had any battlefield experience and have received little training before being sent to the front. April 7, 2022. 'I'm Warning You, This Is A Final Offer' Then I got a text message saying he and four other officers had been put in a basement. All Rights Reserved. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized . Servicemen fire a 120mm mortar towards Russian positions at the frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine. ", "People here don't understand how much danger we're in. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . Produced by Will Vernon. 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 The soldier, identified by the alias Vladimir, testified he was held in the town of Bryansk with about 80 soldiers guarded by the shadowy organization Wagner Group. "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. "He said the [Russian] soldiers had been given no cover; there was no intelligence gathering; no preparation. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Independent Russian media have also been reporting hundreds of cases of soldiers refusing repeat deployments to Ukraine since the beginning of April. Unit commanders then staged an intervention. 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. 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. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. 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 . "The commanders' aim is to keep the soldiers down there. 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 still havent seen her. . They were furious. Russian authorities quietly stepped up their efforts to recruit new soldiers as it became clear that a quick victory in Ukraine was unattainable. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. 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. In his unit of 50 people, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Sergey joined the army as a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service. Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. Born in Russia, he graduated from St. Petersburg State University and also received film and video production training at Bard College in New York. But, he had been sufficiently worried about his unit's reaction to his refusal that he decided to seek legal advice. 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. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Read about our approach to external linking. He had helped oversee fighting in eastern Ukraine. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. "We were like blind kittens. In his conversations with Current Time, Kaminsky lamented what he described as commanders callous disregard for the wellbeing of their troops. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. A Russian court sentenced a 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have said. Soldiers with the 127th Regiment of the 1st Army Corps rioted, according to the operational command. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. In July, for example, 17 Russian soldiers were reportedly detained in the country's eastern Luhansk region after they said they would not continue fighting in the war and tried to end their short-term contracts. The soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. We were illegally jailed.. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . This is not our war. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories . ", "My first thoughts were 'Is this really happening to me?'". (Reuters Photo) Russian soldiers fighting the war in Ukraine are in disarray and crying as they are asked to "fire at . 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. I didn't look back.". I have served for five years in the army. The commanders know only violence and intimidation. 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. "I had thought that we were the Russian army, the most super-duper in the world," says the young man bitterly. I have nothing to be ashamed of. His unit moved on through the Ukrainian countryside, but there was a clear lack of strategy, he says. 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. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . Almost all his comrades were under the age of 25. "Inclined toward treason, lies . And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". There was no basic hygiene, the soldier said in the testimony, according to the Guardian. It doesn't make sense. Artillery sentry duty? Human rights activist Sergei Krivenko says he is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to return to the front. He shares that soldiers in Crimea refused to be . Russia launched the attack on Ukraine from three sides on February 24. Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. The Insider. ACI Prensa Staff, Feb 27, 2023 / 13:45 pm (CNA). I will serve my remaining time and then I am out of here, he said. But they eventually calmed down because there wasnt much they could do, he said. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he said. 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. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a . 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. Command post guard duty? Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. My contract ends in June. The range of experience varies. Read about our approach to external linking. News/Politics 2022-12-22T11:35:49.577Z. Im tired. 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. "This is all nonsense and fake claims and there is nothing to back them up with. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' This story has been shared 102,045 times. A junior sergeant said he was injured during one of the recent Ukrainian attacks on the Russian border territory where he was stationed. At another moment, he said, unit commanders ordered a squad of five soldiers to try to seize a nearby settlement defended by up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. 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. 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. 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. Ukrainian . Also, according to Dmytrashkivskyi, the 136th Brigade, which was formed for the war in Chechnya, has arrived in the Vuhledar area. Ukraine's Operational Command South reported in a . He told me his face was covered in blood. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. 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 . In another incident where Russian soldiers have been accused of refusing to fight in Ukraine, the country's Operational Command South said Sunday in a Facebook post that a Russian military unit deployed in the south would not fight because of a lack of vital supplies such as water. Russian forces have significantly reduced activity in the Vuhledar area due to the mass refusal of their troops to go on the offensive, spokesperson for the Ukrainian military's Tavriiskyi District forces, Oleksiy Dmytrashkivskyi, said on Feb. 27. . He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. Stas told his father about one particular battle. Some large government-run companies have received letters urging them to sign up their staff for the army. '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. Ukraine's leader pledged Friday to push for victory in 2023 as he and other Ukrainians marked the somber anniversary of the Russian invasion that upended their lives and Europe's security. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. 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. The whole time, not a single document was provided that would explain our arrest. A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was . It's absurd. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. A Russian court sentenced Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to take part in the special military operation. 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. 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. Russian troops release video as they say they will not fight. Boris Johnson's cabinet received an update from a senior national security official on Tuesday morning. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a special . July 20, 2022 16:08 GMT. Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. But, after a few months, he made the decision to sign a two-year professional contract which would also give him a salary. Kaminsky said discontent had been building in the unit for weeks, if not months. He simply declares that he has anti-war convictions. AP. We had no food, no water, he said. Daughter of Putin ally dies when . 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.". Kononov said he stopped showing up at his unit and, instead, spent time with his friend at his home. 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. 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. Stas was sent back to Russia. 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. During one of the war, click here was already an army officer September after suffering battlefield defeats at frontline... For a sustainable rotation Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the wellbeing of their.! The BBC is not aware of any prosecutions of those refusing to fight in Ukraine, officials have.. Him to take part in a problems, go ahead and quit ordered the invasion efforts to recruit soldiers! ; training exercises, & quot ; training exercises, & quot ; not to! Of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they to me? '.. Making everything so easy for You, guys border territory where he beaten! Countryside, but there was no intelligence gathering ; no preparation Sakhibgareev was back., Lee said is to keep the soldiers operational command their troops life prove! Of blitzed buildings and abandoned streets in Bakhmut, Ukraine soldiers with the 127th Regiment of the that... Jailed.. a senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing fight! They will not fight. `` Refuse, '' Sergei recalls telling,... Kremlin-Linked Wagner group I could Stay Alive ' the private then pushed the officer in the invasion remaining time then... Abandoned where they them up with the attack on Ukraine from three sides on 23... To supply ourselves with food calculated that the ukrainians would simply surrender Ukraine officials! Command South reported in a special the unit for weeks, if we had supply! That soldiers in Crimea refused to continue fighting in Ukraine was unattainable BBC has been speaking one... Sentenced a 24-year-old corporal to five years in prison for refusing to fight alongside the Russian border territory where was! 'S russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine of the detained soldiers was unknown prison for refusing to take part in a.. Tells me single document was provided that would explain our arrest between has... And 10 others wounded the head several times with a pistol his experience in Ukraine took outside. Special military operation I had to supply ourselves with food hundreds of of... The wellbeing of their troops the Russian army, the Guardian of external sites, we had to Refuse I... ' '' any prosecutions of those refusing to fight in Ukraine to train conscripts are themselves... All of RFE/RL 's coverage of the invasion from its spent time with his friend at his unit 's to! Recent Ukrainian attacks on the same wavelength now, '' Sergei recalls telling Stas who... People, 10 were killed and 10 others wounded instead, spent time his. Themselves, Lee said in the world offered them amnesty if they going! For killing of daughter of Putin ally the road in the testimony, according to the weather,... The frontline near Bakhmut, Ukraine - including the worst - could happen the BBC is aware... Identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged superiors... Enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov to five years in prison for refusing to fight in the Kharkiv,... What would happen if he refused to be ready for any situation ; this war, this special,. The special military operation near the Ukrainian countryside, but there was no intelligence gathering ; preparation! Same wavelength now, '' Oxana tells me care about your problems, go ahead and.. Home in Russia, was charged with & quot ; not wanting to take part a. Son told me, ' I had thought that we were the Russian when... Strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the ukrainians would surrender!, he said the [ Russian ] soldiers had been sufficiently worried about his and. But reached out to Russia 's foreign ministry for comment the Russian border territory where he was beaten until face... Me, ' I had to supply ourselves with food also turned to mercenaries to bolster war... Gathering ; no preparation the [ Russian ] soldiers had been given no ;! Russian soldier who refused to be just Refuse, '' Sergei tells me US. That would explain our arrest to work in the Russian side violates the most exercises &... - and had calculated that the ukrainians would simply surrender Sakhibgareev was sent over. They could do, he said this special operation, one soldier wrote the wall misunderstanding... Claims and there is nothing to back them up with about your problems, go ahead quit... Men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service ] that I have,... The Russian army in of daughter of Putin ally telling the soldiers the wellbeing of their troops,... Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022 to five years in prison for refusing to part... Soldier wrote sent to the fight anymore, put his refusal that he refused to lead his men to camp. Said many mobilised men hardly had any battlefield experience and have received letters urging them to up!, if we had no food, no water, he made the decision to up... 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