Russian soldiers defy imprisonment threat, unwilling to deploy to forward positions - intel

23.05.2023 20:04

Ukrinform

Russian invasion forces have faced an issue of recruits being unwilling to move to the frontline positions, even under the threat of being prosecuted for disobedience at home.

This conclusion comes from a fresh intercept of a phone call where a Russian soldier shares his concerns with a female friend, as reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry (GUR), Ukrinform learned.

"Those who don't want to sign papers and go there are labeled as ‘500s,’ they take them to the prosecutor's office. And say: ‘I don't care, I won't sign anything.’ Let them subpoena me. I won’t care," he said.

According to the Russian soldier, his comrades are ordered to take positions where the combat situation is extremely difficult.

"Here is our dugout out in the field, and here is theirs (Ukrainian - ed.), just 40 meters away. They have a forest strip, we have some bushes. But our guys just fire off 3 rounds, and they just drive up and hit us hard! That ‘Bars’ guy had two WIAs just yesterday, volunteers, as they say," the Russian serviceman elaborated.

The GUR assures that there will come fair retribution for every war crime committed against Ukraine.

As reported, the GUR chief, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, called on Russian servicemen to save their lives by surrendering as prisoners of war through the "I want to live" project.