As part of Russia’s assault on Ukraine, an elite force from Pskov was dispatched to Belarus. They are now facing jail time for insubordination and have been labelled “cowards” by some in Russia.
So embarrassing is the mutiny, Putin has instructed his Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to send one of his most senior officers to Pskov to handle the court-martial proceedings in person.
Ukrainian officials first indicated the special force was made up of Pskov paratroopers, however this has yet to be formally confirmed.
According to the Russian opposition publication Pskovskaya Guberniya, “about 60 troops from Pskov refused to go to war on Ukrainian soil, according to our sources.”
As part of Russia’s assault on Ukraine, an elite force from Pskov was dispatched to Belarus. They are now facing jail time for insubordination and have been labelled “cowards” by some Russians.
Because the mutiny is so humiliating, Putin has directed his Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, to dispatch one of his most senior officers to Pskov to manage the court-martial procedures in person.
Ukrainian officials first indicated the special force was made up of Pskov paratroopers, however this has yet to be confirmed officially.
According to Russian opposition publication Pskovskaya Guberniya, “about 60 troops from Pskov refused to go to war on Ukrainian soil, according to our sources.”
“They were first brought to the Republic of Korea after the first days of the war.”
Vladimir Safronov, a Russian soldier from Pskov, informed his Ukrainian interrogators about rationing issues and how his commanders were plundering civilians.
“Things are horrible with food, we’re always preserving it,” he explained.
“It is not uncommon for a ration for one person to be shared by two persons.”
“We primarily consume what we find inside civilian dwellings.”
“I’ve personally witnessed a lot of looting.” I don’t agree with it; it was mostly done by senior sergeants and the commander.
“I witnessed civilians who were hiding, people who couldn’t flee, people who lived in perpetual terror.”
“I felt terrible for them; it was terrifying to find them.”
According to reports, Ukrainians were forced to eat their own pets as Russian soldiers stole whatever food they could, leaving those seeking refuge from the war with few options for survival.
According to previous reports, elite OMON special forces troops from Khakassia refused to fight.
According to New Focus, a Russian-language news outlet based in the Russian region of Khakassia in southern Siberia, the group personally informed a high-ranking general of Rosgvardia—National Russia’s Guard, which primarily serves as a police force—that they were unwilling to participate in the invasion.
In another case, troops from the unofficial republic of South Ossetia reportedly returned home on foot after refusing to take part in hostilities in Ukraine.
Others are said to have hitchhiked back to Russia as their petrol and supplies ran out.
