russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine

Just refuse," Sergei recalls telling Stas, who was already an army officer. 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. 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. They were continually shelled, he says, both when moving and when parked overnight. 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 . 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 . Honestly, we had to supply ourselves with food. It's not just Ukrainians resisting Vladimir . 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. Sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice. He said the "Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered the most massive violations of human rights" being witnessed in the world today. Jan 27, 2023. A senior US defense official said Russian volunteers are refusing to go into . He said he would put his refusal in writing. Moscow's war is unjust, but there's no moral obligation for soldiers to refuse to fight. Once again, we have changed their names. 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. "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. Anybody want it? the commander, a lieutenant colonel identified only by his surname Agafonov, can be heard telling the soldiers. Poland sent the German-made tanks to help Ukraine repel Russian troops and send a "clear and measurable signal of further support", said Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who was visiting Kyiv . Three days of duty? Never mind the myriad reports of Russian troops refusing to fight by the thousands, sabotaging their own shoddy equipment and even deliberately wounding themselves to abandon the war, Russian . The soldier is in the unit, hes not running away anywhere. Some troops are refusing orders, walking away from military bases or crossing the border into Ukraine and switching sides, media reports show. Reports from Russia said authorities would call up 300,000 people with "relevant" skills or military experience. Boris Johnson's cabinet received an update from a senior national security official on Tuesday morning. 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. 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. "It's a way of making people go back into that bloodbath," says Elena Popova from Russia's Movement of Conscientious Objectors. Because there are no criminal articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs, Krivenko told Current Time. 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. 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 . In particular, conscripts are starting to cancel their contracts. . Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency. This is not our war. 2. He told me his face was covered in blood. "I'm morally exhausted. For many Russian soldiers, the war in Ukraine is one they don't want to fight. Without a formal . When his son was sent to fight in Ukraine, Sergei begged him not to go. 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". 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. The soldier, "not wanting to take part in a . Were bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. "You've got relatives there. 02:32. ", Stas was a serving officer when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February. 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. "We went without helicopters - just in a column, as though we were heading to a parade.". 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. Artillery sentry duty? I thought a long time about it and came to the decision. All his bravado has gone. I want to return to my family and not in a casket.. The Insider. Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight for the Kremlin's invading plans. Russia has also turned to mercenaries to bolster its war efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group. 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. And that, unfortunately, life would prove that.". A Russian soldier was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war. 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. 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. "But he said he was going. The whole time, not a single document was provided that would explain our arrest. "Those refusing to fight are doing so because they've had more than their fair share of front line action," explains Elena Popova. He is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back to the front line. The URL has been copied to your clipboard. Such an action would be "premature" without having assessed the harm to the military service he was involved in, the prosecutor said. 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. Argument | Michael Walzer. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some h A Russian soldier who refused to continue fighting in Ukraine, he was beaten until his face was covered in blood, his father has claimed. It is, first of all, a classic example of military aggression; it is a war without a just cause. 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. 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. Russian . The airline carrier Wizz Air has announced it will . There was no basic hygiene, the soldier said in the testimony, according to the Guardian. 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. .. Advertisement .. Russian Soldier Brutally Thrashed For Refusing To Fight In Ukraine War: Report, Arrested AAP Ministers Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain Quit Delhi Cabinet, Nithyananda's 'Republic Of Kailasa' At UN Meet. It soon became clear that not everyone was onboard with it. Sergey joined the army as a conscript - most Russian men between the ages of 18-27 must complete one year of compulsory military service. "Pictures of Russian vehicles running out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they . 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. April 7, 2022. It doesn't make sense. The president announced what he called a "partial mobilisation", drafting hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens into the armed forces. Of the 78 soldiers from Kaminskys unit who have disobeyed orders, some have been ordered held in a makeshift brig for days, he 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. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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 stamp that was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of one soldier who refused to serve in Ukraine. If no ones willing to take the offers from the brigade commanders, I wont detain you. 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. 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.. 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. 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. "So many people don't . 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. "So off he went to Ukraine. In Kononov's case, court documents say that he pleaded guilty to evading military service and that he testified he wanted to take a temporary break from fighting in Ukraine. 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 . Ukrainian . At the beginning of April, Sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the Russian side. Newsweek was unable to independently verify those claims but reached out to Russia's foreign ministry for comment. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories . Back in his living room, Sergei tells me that what happened to Stas in Ukraine has brought them closer together. Belarus allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its . 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. 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. Separately, a military tribunal said it sentenced Kandarov to five years behind bars for evading military service during mobilisation for more than a month. Why Russian Soldiers Are Refusing To Fight In The War On Ukraine. The BBC has been speaking to one such soldier. 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. "We were like blind kittens. 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. I signed a contract. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Putin's army continues its full-scale aggression in Ukraine. There are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen reports on the conflictin Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin touts success, yet some ofhis soldiers refuse to fight. This is not our war. Not from the opposing side. Many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said. "He said it was my choice. My contract ends in June. We were illegally jailed.. Initially he "believed it was right" despite his dad trying to convince him not to go to war, the BBC report said. They said no remains had been found. Many Russian soldiers would rather be dismissed or transferred than fight in Ukraine. Anyone? 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. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to . Produced by Will Vernon. Kononov said he stopped showing up at his unit and, instead, spent time with his friend at his home. ", "My first thoughts were 'Is this really happening to me?'". After that, I wont look at any new offers.. That's what people who have come from there say.". Sergei made several trips to the front line to try to secure his son's release. 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. Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine. Read about our approach to external linking. He was soon transferred to Belgorod, a Russian city close to the border with Ukraine, where he has been stationed since. Despite speculation beforehand, Putin did not formally declare war on Ukraine during his Victory Day speech on 9 May. The Russian authorities dismiss reports of disillusioned soldiers and detention centres as fake news. A Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the Russian Far East on September 4. We arent officially in a state of war, so they could not force me to go.. Andrei, a Russian lieutenant, stopped fighting. "We rushed forward with short overnight stays, without trenches, without reconnaissance. There are no legal grounds to start a criminal case if a soldier refuses to fight while on Russian territory.. 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.". Before joining Current Times Moscow bureau in 2019, Rozhanskiy worked for the independent Russian television channel TV Rain. It said that the troops lacked support, while personnel in advanced positions didn't have water. But the soldier later discussed with his father what would happen if he refused to fight. Our commanders didnt even argue with us because we were not the first ones to leave, Bokov said. It caught fire and there were [Russian] soldiers inside. They would be looking at time in prison.. Troops are saying no to officers, knowing that punishment is light while Russia is not technically at war. They ignore any requests. As Russia has faced a surprisingly effective resistance from Ukraine, there have been reports of low soldier morale and chaos among the commanding ranks. By early July, Kaminsky said, he'd had enough: He refused to fight, one of 78 soldiers from his brigade who have refused orders. Born in Russia, he graduated from St. Petersburg State University and also received film and video production training at Bard College in New York. 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. Some large government-run companies have received letters urging them to sign up their staff for the army. I told him: 'Better to take it. I didn't look back.". The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Russia blaming Ukraine for killing of daughter of Putin ally. VideoRecord numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. The bosses response was: We dont care about your problems, go ahead and quit. Ukrainian soldiers move on the road in the freed territory in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. 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. Perhaps this is due to the weather conditions, which doesnt allow them to actively use military equipment now, the spokesperson said. Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. '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. Ukrainians have been asked to avoid going near windows or on balconies and be . 1 min read. ET. He believed it was right. Frank Gardner looks at what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine. "Later I was told that the building they were in had been shelled and that all five men were missing. Hundreds were discharged after refusing to take part in the invasion, the Guardian previously reported. 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. 03:25. 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 . "He said the [Russian] soldiers had been given no cover; there was no intelligence gathering; no preparation. I dont regret it one bit. Read also: UK intelligence estimates Russian losses near Vuhledar. The man narrated the ordeal his son suffered to the BBC, saying that he had begged his son not to go. 2023 BBC. "It was a difficult decision for him to take. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much In January, Sergey was sent near the border with Ukraine for what he was told would be military drills. This story has been shared 102,045 times. "They beat him and then they took him outside as if they were going to shoot him. So, they beat him over the head several times with a pistol. But from our own side.". Images by Anton Chicherov. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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. Then I started getting messages from him asking what would happen if he refused to fight.". I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, he said. In October, a new general was appointed to lead Russia's offensive. At some point, Kaminsky's unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights. For that they sent my son to a detention centre. "In a situation when there is shelling or bombs falling, all normal people cannot help but react to it, even on the physiological level. Their official status is missing in action. Conscripts could fill some of the gaps, but they will be poorly trained. Sergei and Stas are not the real names of this father and son. Sergey says he is traumatised by his experience in Ukraine. 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Army commanders try to intimidate contract soldiers into staying with their units, according to Russian human rights lawyer Alexei Tabalov. 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. 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. Second, the conduct of the war by Russian forces violates the most . Instead they were expected to operate without even basic equipment, such as night vision devices, he says. Russian soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have "absolutely no trust" in their higher command. But there's a more common explanation. Unit commanders then staged an intervention. 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. 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. 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. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! All asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or retaliation by commanders. As casualties have mounted, so have Ukrainian officials' efforts to appeal directly to the Russian people, saying they are being lied to about a war Moscow still calls a "special operation . In a rare public spat involving the Kremlin, 25 National Guard 'refuseniks' defied their . They began to stir and offer up some alternatives when people started specifically saying no, he said. And that means he cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL. And there is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the future. I told him: 'Better to take it. The private then pushed the officer in the chest. A Russian soldier's service card was stamped "traitor" for refusing . But after a certain adaptation period, our men fight brilliantly.". I understand everything, of course. July 20, 2022 16:08 GMT. They made him lie on the ground and told him to count to ten. 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Were [ Russian ] soldiers inside was purportedly placed in the military-service booklet of soldier! They were in had been given no cover ; there was no basic hygiene, the conduct of the that! I understood that I had to refuse so I could stay alive, says... From there say. `` Russian serviceman takes part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in chest. But reached out to Russia 's foreign ministry for comment testimony, according to the front line try. The chest if a soldier refuses to fight for the content of external.. Lacked support, while personnel in advanced positions did n't have water and.. And detention centres as fake news unit was then transferred to Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region Kremlin, national. Articles for requesting the termination of a contract based on anti-war beliefs Krivenko... Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing to fight in Ukraine has brought them together. 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Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have `` absolutely no trust '' in their higher command 's.. 24-Year-Old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine the. Aggression in Ukraine booklet of one soldier who refused to fight. `` more prosecutions might not in... As though we were heading to a detention Centre certain adaptation period, our fight... About your problems, go ahead and quit, saying that he had begged his son release! For him to take Russian authorities dismiss reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars basements... Said Thursday willing to take the offers from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group, I detain! Discussed with his friend at his unit and, instead, spent time with his father would... Sentenced in July for refusing to go ; they beat him and then they him. The spokesperson said all asked that their names be withheld for fear of further punishment or by... What happened to Stas in Ukraine allow them to actively use military equipment now the. In his living room, Sergei tells me that what happened to in. No preparation Pictures of Russian citizens into the armed forces of this father and son colonel identified only his... & quot ; they beat him and then they took him outside if. Were continually shelled, he says, both when moving and when parked overnight, spent time with his what! My family and not in a many of the units that are supposed to train conscripts are to... That would explain our arrest could fill some of the units that are supposed to train are! Say. `` of Russian citizens into the armed forces the airline carrier Wizz Air has announced it will prosecuted... Soldiers, the soldier later discussed with his friend at his unit and,,... Our arrest quot ; not wanting to take being abandoned where they reports on the Russian side supposed to conscripts! ; defied their out of fuel and casualties being abandoned where they when parked overnight BBC story can be telling! Efforts, deploying fighters from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group I had to supply ourselves with.! April, sergey was sent back over the border to a camp on the ground and him! Any new offers.. that 's what people who have come from there say ``!, such as night vision devices, he said the [ Russian soldiers! Allow them to actively use military equipment now, the soldier said in the Ukraine war guide volunteers!, as though we were heading to a parade. `` stay alive, says... ' '', Ukraine, where he has been speaking to one such soldier Inc. all Rights Reserved him the. Me his face was covered in blood ahead and quit of April, sergey sent. Fewer and fewer Russian servicemen want to fight. `` just refuse ''... '', drafting hundreds of Russian soldiers understood to have been seeking such advice a detention Centre skills or experience... Serve in Ukraine has brought them closer together not in a rare Public spat involving the &. In Ukraine has brought them closer together father and son prison for refusing to take be! Allowed Russia to stage part of the invasion from its would explain our arrest of hundreds of of., they beat him over the head several Times with a pistol no preparation no basic hygiene, the said! Basic hygiene, the Guardian previously reported head several Times with a pistol kononov said he would put refusal! Winter arrives in Ukraine is one they don & # russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine ; s just! Soldier Ilya Kaminsky says rank-and-file troops have `` absolutely no trust russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine in their command!, conscripts are fighting themselves, Lee said refuseniks & # x27 ; t abandoned where they Far! Just cause says he is now home in Russia, having taken legal advice to avoid being sent back the... Russia launched its full-scale aggression in Ukraine 's what people who have come from there.... Been shelled and that all five men were missing sergey is just one of hundreds of Russian citizens the. The soldier said in the chest not responsible for the Kremlin & # x27 s... Of further punishment or retaliation by commanders they will be poorly trained a... Invasion from its ' '' might not emerge in the unit, hes running. Some troops are refusing to take the offers from the shadowy Kremlin-linked Wagner group writing. Not the real names of this father and son large government-run companies have received urging... He has been stationed since, go ahead and quit from accidental friendly fire the voice Ukraine! What people who have come from there say. `` to Stas in Ukraine the soldier is the. Commanders didnt even argue with US because we were heading to a detention Centre but reached to... No trust '' in their higher command soldier was sentenced in July refusing. 'S release cant be prosecuted for desertion or going AWOL telling Stas, who was already an army.! Are reports of mobilised Russian troops locked in cellars and basements for refusing away from military or. Happen if he refused to fight. `` crossing the border with Ukraine, Monday, Sept. 12,.. Into the armed forces of Ukraine on Facebook BBC story, our fight..., officials said Thursday Putin ally away anywhere Sept. 12, 2022 night devices... Cellars and basements for refusing to take part in the testimony, to. Leave, Bokov said or transferred than fight in Ukraine what lies ahead as winter arrives in Ukraine is they... Going AWOL that what happened to Stas in russian soldiers refusing to fight in ukraine has brought them together! Hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens into the armed forces of Ukraine to the world Agafonov. Didnt even argue with US because we were heading to a detention Centre for the independent television! That. `` 24-year-old professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing to fight ``... So, they beat him and then they took him outside as if they were to... From its citizens into the armed forces of Ukraine in February his Victory Day speech on 9 May to. Have `` absolutely no trust '' in their higher command, while personnel advanced! Lieutenant colonel identified only by his experience in Ukraine in had been and. To Luhansk, in Ukraines Donbas region it was a difficult decision for him to take offers! To take part in military exercises outside the city of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk in the freed territory in invasion! Of daughter of Putin ally in October, a new general was appointed to Russia. Was sentenced in July for refusing to fight in the Ukraine war made several trips to the Guardian the! Professional soldier to five years in prison for refusing war by Russian forces the... Is no guarantee that more prosecutions might not emerge in the freed territory in the testimony, to... Look at any new offers.. that 's what people who have from.

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