Refusing to fight earned one Russian soldier a brutal punishment
When the Russian Armed Forces invaded Ukraine, they brought a very concerning level of brutality that has made new headlines since the first troops crossed the border. But it hasn’t just been Ukrainians who have suffered.
There have been several reports since the war began detailing the poor treatment some Russian soldiers have suffered at the hands of their comrades. Stories about executions for retreating have been rampant in the press.
In October, the White House revealed that Russian commanders were executing troops that were retreating from Moscow’s offensive to capture the town of Avdiivka, and it was a lot worse than just the death of a single soldier.
"We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders," White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters according to a Reuters report on Kirby’s comments.
"We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire," Kirby added. However, it is not only executions that Russians soldiers face.
While stories about Russians killing their own tend to make headlines, there have been a number of other stories that have revealed the everyday problems those drafted into the war face while fighting on the frontlines.
One important story was released by The Movement of Conscientious Objectors (MCO) on the group’s Telegram channel and it detailed the plight of Gennady Kiskorov, a Russian soldier who was mobilized to fight in the war.
Photo Credit: Telegram @astrapress
Kiskorov was tied to a tree on the orders of his commanding officer and left to suffer in the “cold and rain” overnight as punishment for disobeying orders and refusing to fight on the front line somewhere in Donetsk Oblast.
Photo Credit: Semyon Kiskorov via Telegram @astrapress
Video evidence of the 27-year-old conscript's ordeal was captured on video by his brother Semyon, who was also mobilized with his brother into military service even though he, and his brother, had requested to serve in a civilian capacity.
Photo Credit: Semyon Kiskorov via Telegram @astrapress
The Daily Star reported that Semyon revealed that his brother had hand-written a note stating he was a conscientious objector, which is a person who refuses to fight in a conflict or war because of their religious beliefs.
Photo Credit: Semyon Kiskorov via Telegram @astrapress
Breaking the silence on what happened to his brother also put Semyon at risk, and he explained in a social media post that was translated by The Daily Star that he would be sent to the front lines because of his public statement.
Photo Credit: Semyon Kiskorov via Telegram @astrapress
“It will be decided what to do with me: tie me to a tree, send me as a stormtrooper, or make me face a criminal offense for disobeying an order [to go to the front]. I declare that military service is contrary to my religion,” Semyon wrote.
"The Bible says not to kill and to love your enemies; it is impossible to fulfill the duty of armed defense of the Russian Federation since the use of weapons and participation in the destruction of the enemy is contrary to my religion,” Semyon added.
The Movement of Conscientious Objectors revealed in its report that Gennady withdrew his statement after one night of his torture and eventually relented and agreed to serve on the frontlines of the war.
The independent Russian investigative news outlet Meduza also reported on the story, adding that the wives of the Kiskorovs filed a report with the military prosecutor's office. MCO Coordinator Elena Popova also contacted investigators.
Photo Credit: Telegram @stoparmy
However, after Kiskorov’s story gained international attention, their commanding officer requested that the brothers renounce their statements and instead provide a statement that blamed Ukrainian troops for tying Gennady to a tree.
Semyon reportedly called his wife and asked her to withdraw her statement about the crime according to the MCO. "We are very afraid for his life and health," the MCO wrote about Semyon in its report on the situation according to a Newsweek translation.