Ukraine: Russians kill their own soldiers with drones
There are repeated reports of inhumane methods within the Russian armed forces. Anyone who disobeys orders at the front is said to be threatened with death. And according to the Ukrainian side, the Kremlin troops are also allegedly cracking down on deserters.
Is this further proof of the cruelty of the Russian side or an exaggerated Ukrainian narrative? According to the Kyiv Post, both the spokesman for the Tavriya armed forces, Oleksandr Stupun, and intelligence service spokesman Andriy Yusov claim that the Russian armed forces are killing their own soldiers with drones to prevent them from being taken prisoner. "The fact is that the Russians do not allow their soldiers to surrender," Stupun is reported to have said. Yusov told the Ukrainian media outlet that such incidents had been "repeatedly recorded, including by Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance".
These reports cannot be independently verified and no evidence has been provided. However, it has often been reported that the Russian army uses inhumane methods. For example, soldiers are repeatedly sent en masse towards Ukrainian positions like "cannon fodder" - anyone who refuses or turns back is threatened with being shot. According to a White House spokesperson, commanders would probably threaten entire units with execution.
The British Ministry of Defense also reported back in November 2022 that the Russian military had begun deploying blockade units to prevent soldiers from retreating from the front line, even if the situation there was completely hopeless. In the summer, Ukraine published a drone video in which Russian soldiers are clearly seen shooting other soldiers - possibly a "blocking force" with the task of eliminating fugitives.
Russia is allegedly blocking the exchange of prisoners
Russian army personnel who surrender to the Ukrainian armed forces are said to occur time and again. Last year, the Ukrainian side even set up a hotline for soldiers who want to defect. According to the Kyiv Post, in the last three weeks alone around 80 Russians have surrendered in the Tavriya sector, one of the most fiercely contested areas around the besieged city of Avdiivka.
In the past, Moscow and Kiev have repeatedly exchanged prisoners. However, the Ukrainian parliament's human rights commissioner, Dmitro Lubinez, recently accused Russia of blocking this. "The exchange is not taking place because Russia does not want it," Lubinez explained on Telegram. "All of Ukraine's initiatives and (...) efforts are failing due to Russia's unwillingness to take back its own citizens." In the media, however, Moscow claims that Kiev is "doing nothing to bring back its warriors". The last exchange is said to have taken place in August.
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- Despite the establishment of a hotline for Russian soldiers looking to defect, Ukraine accuses Russia of blocking the exchange of prisoners, with Ukrainian parliament's human rights commissioner, Dmitro Lubinez, claiming, "The exchange is not taking place because Russia does not want it."
- The British Ministry of Defense reported in November 2022 that the Russian military had begun deploying blockade units to prevent soldiers from retreating, potentially trapping them in dangerous situations, as seen in a Ukrainian-published drone video showing Russian soldiers shooting other soldiers in the summer.
- Amidst reports of inhumane treatment within the Russian armed forces, including the threat of death for disobedience and execution for deserters, there have been allegations that Russian commanders threaten entire units to deter surrender during the Attack on Ukraine, further enhancing the perception of a ruthless military strategy.
Source: www.ntv.de
