Brutal punishments for Russian soldiers who no longer fight for Putin

Brutal punishments for Russian soldiers who no longer fight for Putin

In the current Situation in Ukraine, it becomes clear that the circumstances for Russian soldiers are increasingly desperate. Reports on cruel punishments and deserting soldiers appear increasingly, in particular through the spread of videos on social media. A particularly depressing incident shows a Russian soldier who is bound to a tree and left to his fate - presumably the risk of death by Ukrainian drones.

cruel punishments in the war

A intercepted radio discussion between a Russian commander and a subordinate makes it clear that such punishments are used as a disciplinary measure for deserters. The command is to "hide somewhere" and then tie it to a tree. A Ukrainian drone commander reported that he has already documented such incidents and that Russian soldiers mistakenly believe that every great Ukrainian drone like Baba Yaga, a fearsome figure of the Slavic folklore, leaves traces of horror in his own ranks.

despair among the soldiers

While the Russian armed forces in Ukraine only progress slowly, the videos show how life within Putin's army is often shaped by fear and despair. It is estimated that since the beginning of the extensive attack in 2022, thousands of Russian men have escaped the service in the army. In a disturbing video that was apparently recorded last winter, a soldier that is tied to a tree can be seen from Kamensk-Uralsky after he had fled with a Ukrainian drone after a confrontation.

Appeals to Putin

social media like Telegram offer an insight into the fears of the soldiers and their families. A man named Yuri Duryagin made an urgent appeal to President Putin and reported on catastrophic conditions during his missions in the Donbas, where only 32 of his 150 comrades survived from an attack. Duryagin complains that he has received less than a fifth of his salary and that acquaintances who have fallen on the battlefield are often reported as "missing" to avoid compensation payments.

The reality of the Russian army

Grigory Sverdlin, founder of the Get Lost organization, who helps Russian soldiers, emphasizes that violence maintains the cohesion of the Russian army. He estimates that over 1,700 soldiers have been deserted in the first six months since the beginning of the extensive attack. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the number of desertion could even be up to 50,000.

punishment for deserters and the military conditions

The punishments for Deserter in the Russian army can be up to 15 years in prison, but the spread of videos shows that unconventional punishments are often occurred on site. In a video, a man who is bound to a jeep is dragged through a field - a brutal approach that is known as a "carousel". These brutal practices throw a disturbing light on the moral and psychological aspects of the current military conditions.

The failure of motivation

While Ukraine also has to struggle with problems in relation to morality and desertion, a widespread refusal to support the war is less pronounced among the Ukrainian soldiers. Sverdlin reports that many of his clients express the words: "I don't want to die here, that's not my war, I don't understand what we do here." These statements show how much the soldiers question the basics and motivation for their service.