The Russian government stated on Friday that it would review a viral video appeal addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin by a Russian military veteran, who accused Russian commanders in Ukraine of torturing and murdering soldiers for failing to fulfil orders, Reuters and NEXTA reported. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that authorities were aware of the video, which was posted on Instagram and has reportedly garnered over 12 million views within 24 hours. Peskov noted that the Kremlin had not yet formally reviewed the appeal but remarked that it appeared to contain “strange wording.”JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The video was posted by Alexander Lunin, a veteran from Russia’s Voronezh region. In the recording, Lunin appeared in combat fatigues and alleged that thousands of Russian soldiers in Ukraine were being detained in pits and subjected to torture for refusing to execute what he described as “stupid or suicidal orders” or for refusing to surrender money to their commanders.
Lunin further claimed that Rcommanders were covering up the deaths of murdered soldiers by officially listing them as missing in action. The video did not provide specific evidence or name alleged victims or perpetrators. In his appeal, Lunin warned that if he was not granted a live televised audience with the Russian president, the military would turn its weapons against the Kremlin.
