In a video that will spread fear within the Kremlin, conscripted Russian troops have mutinied against their commanders, saying they do not wish to continue with the brutal invasion of Ukraine.
In footage from the 113th rifle regiment of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic, the soldiers say they are hungry, cold and poorly treated. The video was posted on telegram.
In the footage, the leaders of the mutineers say:
"For that time the personnel overcame cold and hunger and for a considerable period we did so without material support, medical supplies or food. The mobilisation of our unit took place without any medical examinations, and there are those among our unit who in accordance with the laws of the Donetsk People's Republic should not be mobilised. There are members of our personnel who suffer from chronic diseases and others who are guardians of people with mental illnesses."
Adding:
"For those who are fathers to children and taking into account the duration of our continuous presence on the frontlines, many questions arise that are ignored by command. The higher command interpret our complaints as sabotage. Show respect for your officers. What is there to be gained from sending your soldiers to die?"
The battalion is involved in heavy fighting in the Donbass region, made up of the self-declared republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. It is here that Russia has stepped up its invasion with most observers believing that Russia eventually wants to incorporate the regions into Russia itself.
While the Russians have been defeated in the rest of the country, and forced into a humiliating retreat, in the Donbass they are said to be making slow but steady progress. The region is already heavily fortified, and war has been ongoing here since 2014, during which time well over 10,000 people have been killed.
In recent days, the European Union has imposed further sanctions on Russia, cutting the oil it purchases from the nation by as much as two-thirds. An entire ban on imports was blocked by Hungary's far-right government.
[Based on reporting by: The Daily Mail]
COMMENTS