It is better to refuse a conscription letter than to die as a war criminal in a foreign land. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin threatened to have his men bring defence minister Sergei Shoigu's son-in-law Alexey Stolyarov, 33, to him so he could be trained to go and fight in Ukraine, Prigozhin demanded that Stolyarov (right) - who avoided the military draft and is the partner of Shoigu's (centre) 32-year-old daughter Ksenia Shoigu (left) - should be trained for war. Though the overall budget for the military increased as a result of Putins reforms, pay for troops did not. ", Apparently referring to his own soldiers, he goes on: "They're running away. Relatives of the soldiers also said they planned to file a formal complaint with military prosecutors in Moscow. Putin threatened to use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia in a war it launched against Ukraine on Feb. 24 as he announced that as many as 300,000 reservists will be called up to fight. This was announced by the General Staff of Ukraine on Thursday (March 2). But some officials in countries neighboring Russia worry that the number of Russians heading for the border could pose security risks for those in the European Union and are opposed to providing them shelter. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Beaming Prince Harry and Meghan enjoy a date night at exclusive $4,200-A-YEAR private members' club in LA - as friend claims they've been left furious over King Charles' 'cruel' decision to evict them from Frogmore Cottage, Biden LAUGHS at claim he was responsible for fentanyl overdoses of two brothers and says they died 'under the previous administration' - after mom's heartbreaking testimony to Congress, US housing market faces 20% correction amid further rate hikes and overinflated housing market, Dallas Fed warns, Two US Air Force commanders and four subordinates are FIRED after failing to ensure safety of nuclear weapons stockpile at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, Plastic surgeon reveals the one exercise that makes you AGE FASTER - saying he tells his patients to stop the popular workout if they want to avoid a 'gaunt, old face', 'Lots of broken glass and screaming': Seven people are hospitalized as flight from Austin to Frankfurt makes emergency landing after LIGHTNING struck plane - making it plummet while no-seatbelt sign was on, Is air travel going to get even MORE expensive? 2023-03-02T09:11:58.142Z, Heavy losses for Russia: More than 700 soldiers died in 24 hours - camps destroyed ", to which the second replies: "It's ok. Everybody's apathetic already. Ukraine estimated that more than 22,000 Russian troops have been killed since the start of the war. She says her husband's unit is badly underequipped and underfed. Senior figures in theRussianarmy and security services have become increasingly frustrated withPutinshandling of thedeadly waras a vicious "blame game" exploded inMoscow. If you get there, well done; if you don't get there, you'll be MIA" -- missing in action. However, the general staff did not say where the Ukrainian counterattack took place. Several decades later, the USSRs conflict with Afghanistan brought further challenges for the Red Army. Russian soldiers are reportedly "deserting their posts" after "large-scale losses", including the deaths of top generals. Newsweek has contacted the Russian foreign ministry for comment. DESPERATE Russian commanders have resorted to drugging their own demoralised soldiers to stop them from running away, according to intercepted messages and phone calls. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. A Year of Ukraine War: The Origins of the Conflict with Russia. At least three deserters are known to have been prosecuted in Russian courts. 2023-03-02T09:19:19.814Z, Proof photo: Here Stefan Mross kisses his new girlfriend Eva Luginger in Egypt Russian army leaders recently ordered their troops in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk to temporarily stop fighting amid low morale and desertion, according to Alexander tupun, the Ukrainian spokesperson of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 2023-03-02T09:29:25.625Z, Grard Larcher, "probable" candidate for his succession to the presidency of the Senate This page may contain sensitive or adult content that's not for everyone. Many Soviet soldiers were disillusioned with the atrocities they were forced to commit against innocent civilians. WebUkraine is now facing "massive losses" with Russia overpowering Ukraine's ammunition and artillery store. He has labelled such failings as treachery. "Russia's decision to halt its sputtering offensive in Donetsk suggests it is finally acknowledging this fact," he added. "Our western partners have given us about 10% of what they have," he said, explaining that Ukraine is now dependent on Western donations of supplies. Entire units, which include young conscripts, have laid down their weapons rather than fight Ukraine's forces, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. In the messages, shared by the Ukrainian Security Service, an exasperated Russian commander tells another he is "shooting up" his reluctant troops to make them fight in the war in Ukraine. Another soldier claims his battalion has run out of food and that forces are looting a Timofei Rozhanskiy is a correspondent in Kyiv for Current Time, the Russian-language network led by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA. A Russian missile strike hit a residential building in the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, killing three people, police said. Russians should stay and fight. Russian army leaders recently ordered their troops in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk to temporarily stop fighting amid low morale and desertion, according to Alexander tupun, the Ukrainian spokesperson of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The survivors are said to have begged Vladimir Putin for help. ", "Now they're accusing us of desertion, since the company commander says he didn't give the order," they said. As the Russian army continues to face setbacks in the seven-month-old war by ousting a general who was responsible for logistical operations and replacing him with Col. Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the infamous Butcher of Mariupol, who ordered an airstrike on a maternity hospital and an attack on a theater that was housing hundreds of children. "Basic kit, grenades. For full T&Cs visitredcross.org.uk/mobile. "They were given new weapons that they had never even held in their hands. Russia had expected it could march across Ukraine without much of a fight - but in reality, they havefaced a valiant resistance. Thanks for contacting us. 2023-03-02T09:22:47.011Z, Cai Tianfeng dismemberment caseThe police arrested her ex-husband and friend on suspicion of assisting criminals so far 6 people have been arrested The attack by Prigozhin on Shoigu's son-in-law is plainly aimed at hurting the defence minister. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. "But now they are threatening to deprive them of even this," she said. After that, Viktoria says, the unit began refusing orders to return to the front line. After he filed this material, Russian forces claimed to have seized control of the town, but this has not been independently confirmed. Earlier Ukraines General Staff reported that invading Russian forces were seeing mass desertion among its troops amid Ukrainian military successes. Meanwhile, Stolyarov was recently seen hiking in Africa, even though many men of his age have been forced by his father-in-law to fight and die in Ukraine. We've received your submission. By late September, Ukrainian forces had taken back the settlement of Yatskivka east of the Oskil River in Donetsk, according to Gromov. It said Moscow will confiscate crops from Ukrainian farmers to help stock shops in Russia. ", He added: "I'm even shooting them up. 2023-03-02T09:18:52.571Z, Strike chaos in Munich: "Hardly anything is going on here" - no more taxis available Delta agrees 34% pay rise for pilots - worth up to $90k - with other major airlines set to follow suit, Robert F. Kennedy's assassin Sirhan Sirhan, 78, is DENIED parole because he still refuses to reveal reason for 1968 murder of the senator and then-presidential candidate, Trans teacher with prosthetic Z-cup breasts is FINALLY put on leave after it was revealed they don't wear the fake boobs outside of school - as parents line up to criticize school board at meeting, I'm a Feng Shui expert and these are the three things I will never allow in a bedroom - and you're likely to be guilty of having at least one, Nightmare! The boss of the feared Russian Wagner mercenary group has called for the Russian defence minister's son-in-law to be raped or 'given the sledgehammer'. 2023-03-02, Al-Miqdad: The coercive measures hindered the provision of requirements for humanitarian operations and emergency response, which confirms that they are no less dangerous than the earthquake Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 2023-03-02T09:29:20.013Z, Pensions: Patrick Kanner wants a vote on Article 7 in the Senate "after the mobilization of March 7" There has been a rise in desertion as morale declines, says an This was said by the head of the military administration of the Luhansk region Serhii Haidai, as reported. As Russia's forces run out of food and fuel, some have resorted to looting, while others have reportedly sabotaged and abandoned their own military equipment. Putin apparently even fears his own cabinet All of this contributes to low morale and raises the risk of desertion and defection. The video has been dubbed into English by Ukrainian voice actor Ivan Doan. Rubric list image: Carol Guzy/IMAGO-Images, All news articles on "We continue to see that in reflections and conversations with Ukrainians that affirm that," the military official said. But when he was ordered into the infantry, he broke his contract and returned home. The drones have infrared guidance, allowing them to operate at night and destroy medium-armored targets. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider The weapon's ability to stay in the air for long periods of time mean that it is known as "a loitering munition." "There was an explosion incident in Kadiivka where the Russians tried to hide their trucks with ammunition on the premises of the local factory," Haidai wrote on Telegram. Russian losses in the Ukraine war: the current figures. 2023-03-02T09:17:03.569Z, Russia goes over to the frontal attack Kremlin now relies on Wagner tactics in the Ukraine war ", She laughs before adding: "Don't tell me anything, understand. Ukraine claims to have destroyed hundreds of Russian tanks Credit: afp. And yet, no other Allied army had as many defections, with over 1.4 million Soviet POWs choosing to fight alongside German soldiers. He has also attacked Ksenia Shoigu for enjoying holidays in Dubai while the war in Ukraine rages. Asked about the soldiers' public appeal, the regional government in Yaroslavl, where the unit is formally based, said it was investigating the appeal. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. 2023-03-02T09:19:36.118Z, King Charles III throws Meghan and Harry out Prince Andrew of all people is allowed to move in The URL has been copied to your clipboard. "I am afraid. The Ukrainian military claims that Russian forces are "deserting in some areas" of Ukraine. : Over 700 Russian soldiers are said to have fallen in the last 24 hours. To deal with low troop morale and potential desertions, Russian generals were moved to fight on the front lines to motivate troops that are, at best, indifferent to the conflict. Nothing," she said. Prigozhin said the fitness influencer could be 'raped' or face the notorious 'sledgehammer' execution that Wagner has used to kill defectors,as the bitter rift between Vladimir Putin's top military cronies spirals out of control. This 'can be likened to high treason in the very moment when Wagner is fighting for Bakhmut, losing hundreds of its fighters every day,' Prigozhin said. Morale is reportedly incredibly low. "We continue to see increased signs of discipline and morale problems in the Russian army," the official said. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. They may have sat there for three days, and then they were sent to the front line immediately.". The units of Ukraine carried out a total of 16 airstrikes in the past 24 hours, according to the General Staff. This week, a Pentagon official told The New York Times that Russian troops in Ukraine have surrendered en masse or sabotaged their own vehicles to avoid fighting. 2023-03-02T09:17:25.395Z, After a breakdown with Giovanni Zarrella: Bergdoktor star Mark Keller in the next hit show on TV Putins Speech The man says that they have been there for three or four days, during which they have not eaten properly. More than 200 invaders are wanted in the occupied territories of To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Kiev has published further figures on Russian losses in the Ukraine war. The numbers at a glance: Soldiers: 150,605 the current figures according to the Ukrainian general staff, in February: Lieutenant General names explosive figures, territory: Violent explosions shake the Luhansk region. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Many of the Russians who now flee Russia because of mobilization were fine with killing Ukrainians, they did not protest then, it is not right to consider them as conscious objectors. The video appeared this week on Telegram and other Russian social-media networks: a group of more than two dozen men in masks and camouflage, standing in a snowy field and appealing for help. The invading forces suffered significant losses in manpower, equipment and artillery, added Fedorenko. Russian troops are suffering huge losses in Ukraine The enemy has somewhat reduced its activity for the fourth day, he said. 2023-03-02T09:17:36.239Z, Let humanity rule: Planned refugee accommodation in Hallbergmoos heats up tempers And with the Phoenix Ghost system, what we'll be able to do is ensure steady deliveries of this capability starting in August to ensure that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have a continual supply of this capability.". With the beginning of spring, Ukraine survived the "winter terror" with months of Russian attacks on the infrastructure. For three days we have been told we will be taken away but no one is taking us home," he said. The numbers in February are alarmingly high. 2023-03-02T09:18:36.255Z, Ban on oil and gas heating: Habeck's climate protection with a crowbar The commander then swore at them and threatened them, she says her husband told her: "Take off your bulletproof vests, turn over your weapons, go back to your Russia. Putin's military has been struggling with poor leadership and faces difficulty recruiting motivated troops. "The main reason is the extremely low moral and psychological state of replenishment, numerous facts of desertion from the number of mobilized and non-compliance of combat orders.". She then adds: "Just use protection," before the man replies again: "OK.". Wagner mercenary chief calls for Russian defence minister's son-in-law to be raped or 'given the sledgehammer' as extraordinary rift between Putin's top military It is better to run away from a criminal mobilization, than to be crippled and then held responsible in court for participating in a war of aggression, he said. "Newly mobilized conscripts simply won't have the training or equipment to conduct sustained offensive operations. The officers are already panicking. This emerges from the updated figures of the General Staff of Ukraine. You will be treated in a civilized manner no one will know the circumstances of your surrender, the Ukrainian leader said in an address to the nation late Saturday, speaking in Russian. Give as little as 3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded. 2023-03-02T09:19:08.939Z, Noticeable increase in pension table shows how much there is this year That's it, I don't want anything else". Chelyabinsk is located in southern Russia, near the Kazakh border. The morale of Russian troops in Ukraine seems to be running low amid reports of soldiers at all levels deserting their posts or refusing to fight. Putin's idiotic troops earlier revealed their plans to capture Hostomel airport three days before on an unencrypted line. Natasha Lindstaedt does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. 2023-03-02T09:11:14.430Z, Prince William and Princess Kate do not have sole custody of their children  Just hours earlier, Putin signed a bill passed by the Russian parliament last week that punishes soldiers who desert or voluntarily surrender or disobey commands to fight with 10 years in prison and increases the penalty for looting during wartime to 15 years in prison. In the second world war, Joseph Stalin tried to ensure troop obedience by implementing a zero-tolerance policy towards surrender. They are open to anti-war messages, which Ukraines intelligence agencies are understood to be trying to exploit. Update from March 2, 8:21 a.m . 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. March 4, 202203:12. Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. After a couple more moves, his unit was sent to the front line in Ukraine's Luhansk region on December 31. Reports have emerged in recent days that Russian troops in Ukraine, stalled in their advance and suffering numerous military setbacks, have sabotaged their own Retreating Russian soldiers are forced back into battle on the Eastern Front during the first world war. It opens with a text conversation reported to be between two Russian commanders on a messaging app, updating each other on the latest in Ukraine. 2023-03-02T09:19:25.263Z, Which is better - Mallorca or Ibiza? She was also seen with Stolyarov on a Black Sea beach. Contract soldiers (who sign up for a period of three years) are paid 200% less than US counterparts, at about US$1,000 (760) a month, while the conscripts are paid only US$25 a month, and receive little training. Accordingly, the unit had to be re-formed six times due to high losses and deaths of Russian soldiers. Matthew Schmidt, National Security Associate Professor at the University of New Haven, explained to Newsweek on Thursday that the temporary suspension of fighting in Donetsk indicates that Putin is "facing increasing evidence, that he can't hide, that there's a Russian military failure.". This emerges from the updated figures of the General Staff of Ukraine. The Russian military attempted an offensive action along the front line at Kupyansk and Lyman - but reportedly without success. The complaint, and the soldiers' decision to go public with it, highlights the continuing battlefield problems facing some of the tens of thousands of newly mobilized troops that Russian commanders have enlisted to wage war against Ukraine. Desertion was also widespread in Russias first conflict with Chechnya (1994-96), where many were sent to fight in one of the harshest conflict environments without ever having fired a shot in training. Deputy head of military intelligence in Ukraine, Vadym Skibitsky, has said that the force is almost "out of ammunition," the Guardian reports. This greatly complicates the offensive actions of the Russian army, which explains the slow progress of the Russian armed forces on this sector of the front. Prigozhin is thought to want General Shoigu to be fired amid rumours that he craves the defence minister's job himself. Most recently, Ukrainian officials said earlier this month that Russia failed to advance in five different cities in Donetsk in one single day. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. "The Ukrainian will continues to be incredibly strong. Read also: UK intelligence Play it now! Draft resistance among recruits from the Central Asian and Baltic republics was common, even though draft dodging was a serious crime. The code has been copied to your clipboard. The person taking the video, filmed in an undisclosed location, shows a group of Russian troops standing around. ", "That's where USAI is different from drawdownthis is actually a procurement action. Those struggles combined with bolstered military support to Ukraine from the West weakened Russia and helped Ukrainian forces advance in the war. Everybody's tired. In addition, 20 armored vehicles are said to have been destroyed. Putins partial mobilization, the largest since World War II, is intended to offset military gains by Ukraine after Kyiv launched a counteroffensive in August to claw I think they're very tired.". To view it, confirm your age. Some experts think that Putin plans to make the Russian invasion of Ukraine as long and destructive as possible. They want it all to end.". In the statement, an unnamed senior military official said that Russian advances in eastern Ukraine were slow and costly, and there was evidence that Russian morale was low. Read more: 2023-03-02T09:17:14.497Z, Chronic diseases: With these diseases you can retire three years earlier - without a deduction By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. A woman's voice is heard saying in the clip, shared by Ukrainian security services: "So yeah, do it over there. Source: Ukrainian General Staff as of March 2. , Ukraine destroyed at least 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers in a three-week battle for the city of Wuhledar. Russian army leaders recently ordered their troops in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk to temporarily stop fighting amid low morale and desertion, according to After moving to a series of locations, they were issued weapons on December 31 while in the Voronezh region, near the Ukrainian border, and then they were sent to the front.. "They were taken to Ukraine, there was no more training. Russian President Vladimir Putin had given a September 15 deadline for Russian troops to push to the administrative borders of eastern Donetsk in efforts to take control of the region, Oleksiy Gromov, deputy chief of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, said earlier last month. ", Heavy losses for Russia: Lieutenant General calls explosive figures. Ivan's unit was first sent to Smolensk, where they went through basic training, and training on weapons, says Viktoria, who asked that her last name not be used. When the elite VDV air assault troops tried to take the airfield 30 miles outside Kyiv,Ukrainian troopswere lying in wait. It is better to surrender to the Ukrainian army than to be killed in the strikes of our weapons, fair strikes from Ukraine defending itself in this war, he continued. In the months prior, Russian authorities had conducted what experts called a "covert mobilization," recruiting volunteers with offers of high salaries. 2023-03-02T09:10:58.076Z, Will Kai Wegner soon be Berlin's governing mayor? In addition, an "Orlan-10" drone is said to have been brought down from the sky. The U.S. is also sending more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and further ammunition. 2023-03-02T09:17:52.702Z, Does Lisbeth die at the mountain doctor in season 17? It comes as reports claim Putin's generals are turning on the tyrant as their soldiers continue to be bogged down in Ukraine. In spite of reports that Russias army was attempting to reform its structure, Russias own military reported in 2014 that more than 25% of its personnel could not operate their infantry equipment. The artillery and rocket units reportedly destroyed a Russian military camp, two ammunition depots and three unspecified military targets. Moscow is reluctant to state its own losses - official figures are not given. It makes no sense for us to go up against tanks with these weapons. 2023-03-02T09:11:47.143Z, Russia insists on conducting an urgent investigation into the sabotage of the northern stream lines The information has not yet been independently confirmed. 'Please, have your own head on your shoulders, and don't allow yourself to be manipulated with the help of Photoshop. She said they are supplied with food items sent by relatives. 2023-03-02T09:18:19.978Z, Wolves chase cyclist: "Alternatively only roared and cried" One of the missiles hit a residential building near a defence plant, and the number of casualties was not immediately clear. ", After they were taken out, she said, the unit told its commanders: "We won't go further. The Pentagon has said in a statement that Russian morale seems to be running low in the ongoing Ukraine war, amid reports of soldiers at all levels deserting The Russian leader recently announced a "partial mobilization" of forces that involves calling up reservists and people who had already served in the army to fight in Ukraine. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos and now you can, by donating to The Sun's Ukraine Fund. But reports continue to emerge of Russian conscripts feeling as though they have been duped into fighting. The Russian offensives on the Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk fronts were also unsuccessful, it was said. But the Russians are already experiencing low morale and a lack of troop cooperation only a few weeks into the conflict. An explosion shook Russian-occupied Kadivka in the Luhansk region, where several trucks loaded with projectiles are said to have blown up. Russia said on October 1 that it moved its troops to a more "advantageous" position. Heavy losses for Russia: Violent explosions shake the Luhansk region. Millionaire Prigozhin and his fighters have claimed for weeks that the military doesn't provide them with enough ammunition. "This rare video was filmed by a (non-captured) Russian soldier complaining about losses and harsh conditions," tweeted the account of the Conflict intelligence Team (CIT). "We are the soldiers of the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Platoons, 254th Regiment, 7th Company, 3rd Battalion. Eventually, wartime hardships, poor combat performance and a waning ideological commitment to the cause can spur troops to jump ship. But the commander gave us no cover and no support. Putin also raised the possibility of using nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory, adding ominously: Its not abluff.. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Saturday that the regions that approve the annexation would be given full protection of Moscow. By some estimates, these units killed as many as 150,000 of their own troops. One asks the other "how's it going? Prigozhin,dubbed 'Putin's chef' having once provided catering services to the Kremlin, accused Shoigu last weekof starving his fighters in Ukraine of ammunition, which he said amounts to an attempt to 'destroy' the force. Monika Baumgartner talks about the new screenplay  Why should we go up against tanks with only machine guns?'" WebRussian troops' struggle to talk to each other in Ukraine reflects a problem that's only getting tougher for all militaries. University of Essex provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron! Published: 04:04 EST, 27 February 2023 | Updated: 10:27 EST, 28 February 2023. Completely demoralised. The news ticker. Research suggests that morale is especially low in militaries that have been de-professionalised. 2023-03-02T09:34:41.974Z, Musical message for Ukraine The Russians are said to be trying to establish a firm line of defense in Crimea and ensure they are able to hold the peninsula against a possible Ukrainian offensive. This was stated by the head of the joint press center of the Ukrainian Task Force South, Natalia Humeniuk, in a program on national television. Stay up to date with what you want to know. In addition, according to Pavyuk, Ukraine was able to destroy 1,093 Russian units of weapons and equipment during the month, including 186 tanks, seven planes and four helicopters. Ukraine is now dependent on Western donations of supplies, Ukrainian officials say. Ukraine is now facing "massive losses" with Russia overpowering Ukraine's ammunition and artillery store. The report also shows that Russia has 40 times the supply of artillery ammunition. Much of the Russian fleet had been destroyed in the Battle of Tsushima the previous month and the Russian navy was left with some of its most inexperienced recruits.