ChrisO_wiki1/ Mobilised Russian soldiers facing the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhya say they are suffering huge casualties from precision shelling by Ukrainian forces, cannot evacuate their wounded, and are brutally treated for refusing orders they consider to be suicidal. ⬇️
2/ The independent Russian news outlet "Look out, news" (ON) reports that men of the 1430th Mobilised Rifle Regiment say that on 8 June, they were sent to hold front line trenches, likely near Robotyne, where they suffered heavy losses under Ukrainian artillery fire.
3/ "Within two weeks, several hundred men were out of action. Most of them have not seen the enemy and suffered from precise shelling ... The khokhols [derogatory term for Ukrainians] are hitting right into the trench. There's no point in sitting there," says one soldier.
4/ Many wounded Russians are left lying injured at their positions because they can't be evacuated. The regiment apparently doesn't have armoured ambulances; instead, they're having to use passenger cars, under heavy shelling and on terrain which their own side has mined.
5/ According to ON, the soldiers have morale problems, though none have yet deserted. Many are refusing to carry out suicidal orders. For this, they are being sent as punishment to a stormtrooper unit known as "Storm Z" made up of ex-prisoners and likely considered expendable.
6/ Every four days, the men say, new soldiers are being sent to their positions. "We will wait for mobilisation. If the Ministry of Defence does not send reserves or redeploy troops, we will not sit here for long." In May, they recorded a video appeal for urgent reinforcements.
7/ One man from the regiment was captured by the Ukrainians and was subsequently interviewed on camera. In the video, he says the Ukrainians shelled his position, then stormed it with grenades. He tried to run away with his comrades, but was shot and captured.
8/ "Everybody was running, everybody wanted to retreat. Everyone wanted to live, but didn't make it. The offensive really began, and there wasn't any help from our commanders. There was no evacuation and many guys are lying as 200s (dead). Almost 20 people I think... Or more. Then I heard the sound of a machine. I don't know what vehicle it was. It began heavy shelling too. Immediately one (of us) was torn apart [when] he went to look through a thermal imager."
9/ The prisoner says that only half of the men in his 120-strong company are left and that their commanders are "hiding". The men blame their regimental commander, who is believed to be Lieutenant Colonel Denis Mazanov.
They hold him responsible for their lack of training, terrible living conditions, and brutal treatment such as imprisoning men in a zindan or open-air dungeon. They say he is totally indifferent to their welfare, telling them, "Die here, whatever."
10/ The prisoner says: "When we came to Ukraine they took our phones away. First they threw us like dogs, like cattle into a forested area. We walked around like hobos – you can't wash. There's no water, there's no food."
The men were also lied to. According to the prisoner, they were initially told, "You will not be allowed to go to the front line. Never. There are professional soldiers [there] who will do the work".
11/ The prisoner says his commander is grossly corrupt. "He sold holidays, cut down the forest and sold it somewhere." This is likely a reference to the reported practice of officers extorting bribes from soldiers to allow them to take leave.
There have also been reports of Russian occupation forces cutting down trees in their operational areas in Ukraine and selling the wood to corrupt Russian timber merchants. It's blatantly illegal, as the timber is supposed to belong to the state.
12/ The prisoner notes that the brutality shown by Russian officers extends down through the chain of command. He says that his company commander "treats his subordinates like pigs. My friend made a small mistake, so [the commander] pulled out a gun and started shooting him in the legs. There are constant insults. The company commander says, "if you will fall back, I will kill you, shoot you". Fear of such threats likely keeps many in the trenches. /end
Sources:
🔹https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti/13906
🔹https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti/17110
🔹https://t.me/ombr47/201
🔹https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti/13906
🔹https://t.me/ostorozhno_novosti/17110
🔹https://t.me/ombr47/201
Осторожно, новости
“Мы как военнопленные какие-то” В Запорожской области военное руководство отправило мобилизованных в яму, где их держат уже более двух суток. По данным "Осторожно, новости" в яме на видео содержатся двое рядовых и ефрейтор 1430 полка из Москвы и области. Место действия: вторая линия обороны Запорожской области. По словам военных, их товарищей поместили туда по приказу коменданта — из-за того, что военные выпили и нарушили устав. Но наказали их не по закону, а с помощью ямы, которую вырыли прямо в поле, сверху ее накрыли решеткой из веток. Сопротивляться мобилизованные не могли — им угрожали оружием. На момент съемки мобилизованные просидели в яме двое суток. Они жалуются на невыносимый холод, из-за которого не могут перестать дрожать. Из-за этого по ночам они стоят “как лошади”, мужчины сравнивают себя с военнопленными. Кормят солдат раз в день: подкидывают холодный суп и разные консервы. Вызывать врачей им отказываются: “Здесь сдохните, вообще пофигу”, — пересказывает мобилизованный слова комбата. Сегодня пошел третий день, как мужчины сидят в яме. Им предстоит провести там еще ровно неделю. Как подчеркивают военные, наказали их “в обход всех процедур военного права”. Примечательно, что в 1430 полке, где произошла эта ситуация, служил Александр Лешков — мобилизованный из центра “Патриот”, который поспорил из-за подготовки с офицером и получил за это 5,5 лет колонии.