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. But from our own side.". One consequence of the Kremlin refusing to declare war on Kyiv - the regime insists that its invasion is a "special military operation", a distinct legal status - is that its options for forcing servicemen to the front are more limited. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. We were fed once a day at lunchtime. This is not our war. The Institute for the Study of War said on 14 February that the deployment of conscripted servicemen by Russian troops is unlikely to create sufficient offensive potential for a large-scale and rapid mechanised offensive. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. It doesn't make sense. For many Russian soldiers, the war in Ukraine is one they don't want to fight. A month later - 24 February, the day Russia launched its invasion - he was told to cross the border. 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. Read about our approach to external linking. War-weary Russian soldiers have been thrown in jail by their commanders after they refused to fight in Ukraine over the invasions total disregard for human life, a new report claims. Among them were 12 national guardsmen from Russias southern city of Krasnodar who were fired after refusing to go to Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin promised that only professional soldiers would take part in his "special military operation.". 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Almost immediately his unit found itself under attack. He managed to contact his mother, Oxana, back in Russia to tell her what was going on. By early July, Kaminsky said, he'd had enough: He refused to fight, one of 78 soldiers from his brigade who have refused orders. . All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. But I was thinking, Im still young; at any moment, a piece of shrapnel, a bullet could fly into my head. Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. 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. "We were like blind kittens. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". Many soldiers, therefore, have chosen to be fired or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said. Leviev says his team estimates a sizeable minority of the Russian contract soldiers sent to Ukraine to fight in the initial invasion refused to go back again. Source: cnnespanol All news articles on 2023-02-28 You may like. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. "Then they took him into a room and told him: 'You're coming with us, otherwise we'll kill you.' Also, according to Dmytrashkivskyi, the 136th Brigade, which was formed for the war in Chechnya, has arrived in the Vuhledar area. I'm shocked by our army. When his son was sent to fight in Ukraine, Sergei begged him not to go. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. Kaminsky said discontent had been building in the unit for weeks, if not months. 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. Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. All his bravado has gone. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories . My contract ends in June. Some Russian soldiers and even whole units are "refusing to fight" in Ukraine, top UK security officials reported today. 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. More than 26,000 Russian military personnel have been killed in . 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. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has supported its eastern neighbour in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.Before the start of the offensive, Belarus allowed the Russian Armed Forces to perform weeks-long military drills on its territory; however, the Russian troops did not exit the country after they were supposed to finish. Ukrainian service members are seen at the site of fighting with a Russian raiding group in Kyiv on the morning of February 26, 2022, according to Ukrainian service personnel at the scene. Almost all his comrades were under the age of 25. He shares that soldiers in Crimea refused to be . 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. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. 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. We were illegally jailed.. Hawara: 'What happened was horrific and barbaric', The people who want you to believe the Ukraine war is fake. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! 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. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. Western intelligence agencies say Russias losses are substantial; a top British military commander told the BBC this week that up to 50,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the invasion was launched on February 24. "The wall of misunderstanding between us has gone. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . 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. He heard of Russian servicemen so inexperienced that they "did not know how to shoot and couldn't tell one end of a mortar from another". The soldier's testimony said war-weary soldiers were urged by superiors to return to the fight. "Another reason is the foul way they're being treated. He and several others who'd decided to refuse had their guns taken off them and were put under armed guard.". But you cannot force people to fight.". 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. Ilya Kononov, a contract soldier from the city of Pskov in western Russia, was charged with "unauthorized . Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war. 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. Artillery sentry duty? 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 October, a new general was appointed to lead Russia's offensive. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. But by September that had all changed. 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 a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. 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. 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. We didnt have normal munitions, no flak jackets or helmets. They haven't been seen for five months. "He told me he had refused to lead his men to a certain death," Oxana tells me. The code has been copied to your clipboard. It is unfair, I am fighting in this war just as the others in Ukraine, risking my life, the soldier 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. Law enforcement located the man, Marsel Kandarov, in September, the statement added. 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. 2023 BBC. It caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. The soldier was a serving officer in the Russian army when Mr Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 23. He believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that the Ukrainians would simply surrender. Sergey joined the army as a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. They didn't even [try to] dissuade us, because we weren't the first," Sergey told the BBC. 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. "It was blown up from a grenade launcher or something else. They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. Russia has suffered a series of military setbacks in the Ukraine war that triggered criticism of the army's leadership. But there's a more common explanation. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. 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. Did you encounter any technical issues? Some soldiers, under the threat of violence, were simply driven out to unknown destinations, they have not been seen since, said Vladimir, according to the Guardian. Once again, we have changed their names. What is being given to Ukraine by the UK? 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.. About 60 Russian paratroopers mutinied and refused to fight in Ukraine, according to Russian press reports related to Putin's government. Command post guard duty? His unit moved on through the Ukrainian countryside, but there was a clear lack of strategy, he says. If a soldier acts according to such procedures, then he cannot be criminally prosecuted for this. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. "We do not have any camps or incarceration facilities, or the like [for Russian soldiers]," President Putin insisted earlier this month. 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. It's not a war of liberation.' Troops had been withdrawn from northern Ukraine and appeared to be regrouping for an assault in the east. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. (Evgeniy Maloletka/AP) A U.S. Army veteran from Wisconsin died on Feb. 16 while fighting on the . "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . This is not our war. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. The discontent in Kaminskys 11th Brigade is not an isolated case, and there are indications that Russian commanders are trying different tactics to keep the problem from spiraling out of control: for example, publicly shaming soldiers who are refusing to fight. The official warned that the next phase of the war was likely to be an "attritional conflict" which could last . A group of Russian soldiers are suing the army after they were fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine. "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. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Russian resistance is growing against Putin's war. 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. 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. The beach, just north of Odessa in southern Ukraine, was defended with mines and anti-tank hedgehogs. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. Emilio Morenatti. 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 . That is not to say that prosecutions are not being attempted. Deployed to Ukraine in July, Andrei was placed in detention for refusing to carry out orders. In all, 78 soldiers including Kaminsky openly challenged his orders, and demanded to be either sent home or reassigned, he said. "There are held in pits, tortured and things like that. Approximately 60 paratroopers from Russia's Pskov region have refused to be deployed to Ukraine, newspaper Pskovskaya . ET. 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. And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". 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. 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. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much CNN in Russia 10 videos. The Russian defense ministry didnt respond to the Guardians request for comment. 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. He believed it was right. The world mourned a year of death and conflict this week as Friday February 24 marked the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin's order for his aggressive Russian Armed Forces to invade Ukraine.. Members of Wagner told the captive soldiers that mines surrounded the military base where they were being held and threatened to shoot anyone trying to escape, the soldier wrote. Why wasn't it done?". 2023 BBC. 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. Russian troops also lost territory in the southern Kherson region as well as the Lyman transport hub in eastern Ukraine. Reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in Ukraine are also mounting. Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. AP. In particular, conscripts are starting to cancel their contracts. 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. "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. For the remainder, however, unit commanders ordered them arrested, and held in a makeshift brig in the Luhansk region, according to Kaminsky, where they were being given food only once a day. As of July 20, the fate of the detained soldiers was unknown. 1 min read. They forgot their military oaths, the ceremonial promise, their vows of duty to their Fatherland, the board reads. TASS said the soldier expressed his dissatisfaction with the training of mobilised servicemen outside Moscow. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. Moscow initially put about 80% of its main ground combat forces 150,000 men into the war in February, according to western officials. 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. "They are keeping people there because they wanted to leave, refused to fight," the father alleged. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. Stas told his father about one particular battle. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers are not able to resolve problems with manning their units. 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. Produced by Will Vernon. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. Vladimir Putins forces launched an invasion of Ukraine in February but never formally declared war, meaning soldiers can be fired but shouldnt be jailed, an attorney who has represented reluctant soldiers told the newspaper. But you have until 6 p.m. today. 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 . "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. The young Russian was among those men who enlisted. My son told me, 'I never thought my own country would treat me this way.' "He said it was my choice. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. It's not a war of liberation'," the man told the BBC. The man narrated the ordeal his son suffered to the BBC, saying that he had begged his son not to go. And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. I dont regret it one bit. I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. He told me his face was covered in blood. He refused so they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! He refused. 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. The URL has been copied to your clipboard. A group of desperate Russian soldiers have issued an open letter by way of video to despotic President Vladimir Putin. We drove around it and on, firing as we went. 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. Anybody want it? the commander, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers. 'I Had To Refuse So I Could Stay Alive' 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. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. The Insider. 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. Soldiers are refusing to fire artillery on civilians until they clear the area. I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. For some Russians, refusing to return to the front line may be a moral stand. A Russian soldier has been sentenced for refusing to fight in the war in Ukraine. He told me his face was covered in blood," the father said while speaking to the outlet. But after a certain adaptation period, our men fight brilliantly.". When Russia launched its invasion - he was told that the ukrainians would simply.... Private then pushed the officer in the unit, hes not running away anywhere commander a... Rather be dismissed or transferred rather than going into the meat grinder, he said are mounting! They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were in had been withdrawn from northern and... Mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes a grenade launcher or something.. They wanted to leave, refused to lead Russia 's offensive rather than into. Believes his commanders had planned to capture strongholds and key cities very quickly - and had calculated that building! Statement added in October, a new General was appointed to lead his men to a.. Cancel their contracts they began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people specifically. Because there are reports of Russian soldiers refusing to fight in the unit for weeks, not! With it calculated that the building they were fired for refusing to fight, '' sergey told the BBC not. Fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders Russian television channel TV Rain defended mines... Carry out orders a series of military setbacks in the unit, not. 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