Russian commander orders recruits to return to front – they refuse Moscow court dismisses appeal from US basketball player Griner

The fear of serving as cannon fodder is understandably great. In Ukraine, Russian troops are sometimes under heavy fire from the army of the neighboring country they are attacking.

A recent incident shows once again how Russian recruits have to grapple with sometimes desolate conditions after Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization: commanders in the Luhansk region are said to have locked up their own recruits for trying to flee the front and not wanting to return there. That writes the German newspaper “Focus”, citing a message from the Russian medium “Astra”.

According to the report, the recruits were sent to the front near the city of Lyman without any basic training. The Russians are under pressure there and need new troops to hold the front. Ukrainian troops attack their defense line to advance towards the cities of Sieverodonetsk and Lysychansk, which were taken by Russia in the summer.

The unit of recruits had suffered great losses. The survivors reported to “Astra” that they should have progressed further. They would meet their comrades at a roadblock. “But there was no one in front of us. When we got near the village of Torske, the Ukrainians fired grenades at us.”

They then tried to retreat – but this was difficult because they were surrounded. Under aggravated circumstances, the men were able to return to a tank that took them to the Russian-controlled city of Kreminna.

“You have five minutes to get ready”

They didn’t want to go back to the front. But that’s exactly what the troop commander there demanded of them: “You have five minutes to get ready and get back to the front.” Although a tank command had reconfirmed that the forward section at Lyman was under heavy fire, the commander insisted on his orders.

A relative of the affected recruits told “Astra” that the commander gave them a choice: “He gave them two options: return to the front or ten years in prison under difficult circumstances.”

However, the 27 men in total continued to refuse. As a result, personal items were taken from them and they were imprisoned in a former prison, as “Focus” writes. The conditions there are inhumane, it’s like a sewer.

The family also makes further allegations against the army commanders and their actions: the commanders allegedly abandoned the recruits. In addition, some of the units were not only sent to the front without training, but were also called up under dubious circumstances. They never signed anything and reasons for delay were simply ignored. (against)