Investigation lists 101 superiors accused of tactics such as using drones to ‘finish’ off retreating troops and sending soldiers on death missions
Russian commanders are executing or deliberately sending to their deaths soldiers who refuse to fight in Ukraine, according to a new investigation by the independent outlet Verstka, which paints a bleak picture of internal violence within the Russian army.
Drawing on testimonies from serving soldiers, relatives of the dead, leaked videos and official complaint records, Verstka said it had identified 101 Russian servicemen accused of murdering, torturing or fatally punishing their own comrades. The outlet said it had verified at least 150 deaths, though they said they believed the true tally to be far higher.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reports of soldiers being killed by their own side and of so-called blocking units deployed to prevent retreats have circulated widely.
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected allegations of indiscipline among Russian troops, insisting that such problems are instead rife within the Ukrainian army.
