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| All is Not Xоро́ший in Rodina |
| 2025-04-25 |
| [Meduza] ‘A raging meat grinder’ How a riot in Krasnodar highlights the Russian army’s desertion problem. In Krasnodar, Russia, around one hundred soldiers detained on suspicion of desertion staged a riot in a bold escape attempt last week. Seven managed to break free — four were quickly recaptured, and three remain at large. RFE/RL’s Kavkaz.Realii looked into what sparked this mass attempt to flee and what it reveals about how the Russian army treats deserters. Meduza shares an abridged translation of the outlet’s reporting. On the night of April 18-19, around 100 soldiers accused of desertion broke through a perimeter fence at the Krasnodar garrison commandant’s office in an attempt to escape. Police quickly placed the area under heightened security, blocking traffic and conducting vehicle searches. Seven soldiers managed to escape, according to the Telegram channel Baza. Four were captured shortly afterward, while the remaining three are still at large. Almost immediately after news of the escape attempt broke, activists from the Kuban Anti-War Committee said that law enforcement had been contacting local Telegram channel administrators, asking them to “keep quiet.” Official bodies, including the Defense Ministry, the Interior Ministry, and local authorities, haven’t commented on the situation. The Russian propaganda outlet RT reported that police were “looking into things.” The escape attempt was driven by conditions of detention, according to the wife of one soldier held there and a lawyer representing two others. They told the Telegram channel Astra that dozens of soldiers had been living in tents for months, including during the winter. “They’re all drinking there; my husband was beaten three weeks ago, he was covered in bruises. I demanded that the injuries be documented [but there was] no investigation,” one source told Astra. “Some of those being held are category D [unfit for military service], some are missing an eye, some are missing limbs.” A lawyer who spoke to Astra on condition of anonymity confirmed that some detainees had been held in the camp for more six months. “They live in tents outside. They’re given food. There’s an outdoor toilet, a shower. They’re behind a wire fence. They don’t leave the area, there’s morning [and] evening roll call. That’s it. More than a hundred people, and they do nothing,” the lawyer said. The Kuban Anti-War Committee confirmed to Kavkaz.Realii that they had previously received reports about the deserters being held in Krasnodar, but their exact location was previously unknown. The Committee also highlighted that forced returns to the front lines, including through detention, have become widespread in the region. |
| Posted by:Mercutio |