Because the begin of the struggle, Ukraine has been bombarding Russian cellphone numbers with textual content messages telling troops learn how to give up – and some days in the past, a tank commander replied saying he want to defect.
After discussions with Kyiv’s safety companies, a location was agreed.
The Russian officer drove up in his tank and, after a drone had flown overhead to protect towards an ambush, was taken away by Ukrainian particular forces.
‘He didn’t see the purpose of struggle,’ mentioned Victor Andrusiv, an adviser to the minister of inner affairs, including that every one the opposite troops within the tank had fled house to Russia already.
Died in battle: Islam Abduragimov, 19, (left) and Shamil Aselderov (proper)
‘He couldn’t return house as a result of his commander informed him he would shoot him useless and say he died in battle.
‘Misha informed us that he had barely any meals left, the command construction was chaotic and nearly absent, morale could be very low.’
Andrusiv informed this story yesterday on social media, saying that the defector can be paid $10,000 and spend the remainder of the struggle in ‘comfy circumstances’ with a tv, cellphone, kitchen and bathe.
His declare follows rising solutions that Russia’s invasion is being hampered by desertions amongst troops, lots of them conscripts – and that is hindering its assault together with unexpectedly excessive fatalities, fierce resistance and failed logistics.
‘We’re seeing circumstances of give up when Russian troops voluntarily contact our navy and declare that they wish to give up, that they don’t participate in lively hostilities,’ mentioned Denys Monastyrsky, the minister for inner affairs.
Konstantin Druzhkov, GRU Spetsnaz fighter reported to have been killed within the struggle in Ukraine.
He added they had been defecting with navy tools, together with tanks, after realising they had been getting used as ‘cannon fodder’ by their commanders.
Such claims are unverified. And this can be a struggle being fought within the media nearly as a lot as on battlefields, with barrages of propaganda from either side.
But there may be mounting speak of defections, desertions and dangerously low morale as Russia’s navy machine stalls.
‘Russian forces are conscious of the hopelessness of their scenario and more and more selecting desertion to keep away from loss of life,’ mentioned the Centre for Defence Methods, a number one Ukrainian think-tank.
Yesterday Ukraine’s armed forces mentioned 300 Russian troopers ‘refused to adjust to orders to hold out fight’ and ‘left’ an space of intense combating within the Sumy area.
The day before today they claimed to have seen a pointy rise within the variety of defectors and enemy troopers declining to struggle within the southern Kherson and Mykolaiv areas. ‘Having seen the actual power of the Ukrainian defenders, the occupiers are now not desirous about straightforward cash and the opportunity of looting, which they had been promised earlier than the invasion,’ mentioned the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence’s intelligence company.
And it’s claimed that in a single city close to Kyiv, recaptured yesterday by Ukrainian forces, Russian troops stole vehicles and, after turning into civilian garments, drove unexpectedly in the direction of the Belarus border.
There have been experiences additionally of intercepted messages from demoralised Russian troops by which they speak of officers who ‘shoot themselves within the leg to go house.’ US and UK intelligence experiences are additionally understood to have mentioned low morale amongst Russian troops because the losses mount.
One Pentagon doc described troopers merely parking their autos and strolling away from the struggle into woods.
About one quarter of Russia’s navy is comprised of conscripts, who’re normally assumed to have decrease morale than skilled troopers.
Pictures of some troops killed in motion have proven recruits barely out of their teenagers. The paperwork of three elite GRU Spetsnatz particular forces fighters, mentioned to have been killed within the battle for Mariupol by the Azov regiment of the Nationwide Guard of Ukraine, confirmed that one in all them, Islam Abduragimov, was aged simply 19.
One other, Konstantin Druzhkov, was 33 whereas the papers didn’t specify the age of the third, Shamil Aselderov.
Loss of life charges on either side are inconceivable to confirm.
Islam Abduragimov, GRU Spetsnaz fighter reported to have been killed within the struggle in Ukraine
Russia admitted to 498 losses in fight firstly of the month, whereas Ukraine put the determine at 15,000.
Virtually two weeks in the past, Ukraine mentioned it had suffered about 1,300 fight fatalities.
Figures revealed briefly this week on a pro-Kremlin web site mentioned that 9,861 Russian troops had been killed and 16,153 injured.
About 15,000 Russian troops died in Afghanistan after the 1979 invasion – however over ten years and from throughout the Soviet Union.
Sources in Belarus have urged many injured troopers have been taken there for therapy, usually arriving in horrible situation with festering wounds and after a number of days with out meals.
A navy hospital in Moscow can also be mentioned to be ‘overflowing’.
Olexandr Danylyuk, director of the Centre for Defence Reform think-tank, mentioned that there have been indicators of considerable defections even amongst elite items of the Russian navy.
The previous authorities intelligence adviser claimed that 220 members of a marines brigade had refused to struggle – and that one brigade commander in a particular forces unit was suspended after refusing to ship in reinforcements following heavy losses.
‘These are indications that even within the lead navy items, most of the troopers don’t wish to be despatched to Ukraine or combating in Ukraine,’ mentioned Danylyuk.
‘They don’t wish to be killed and see this struggle as having a really excessive threat of dying.’
Ukrainian safety companies say that prisoners have informed them their forces are adopted by ‘execution squads’ ordered to kill any troops making an attempt to flee in a revival of Stalin’s ways. There have additionally been experiences of Chechen items being despatched in to cease Russian desertions. Because the begin of the struggle, Kyiv has launched movies exhibiting Russian captives – a few of whom say they selected to stop moderately than hold combating.
It is a highly effective media technique, though human rights teams argue it violates the Geneva Conference.
‘My infantry combating automobile was shot, so I threw away all of the weapons and surrendered,’ mentioned one soldier, giving his title and repair quantity. One other Russian – recognized as a senior sergeant – claimed they ‘determined to put down the arms and give up to the native authorities’ after discovering Russian president Vladimir Putin’s claims about Ukraine being run by nationalists had been false.
Handwritten letters have additionally appeared that purport to return from Russian troopers who’ve been combating in Ukraine and telling superior officers why they won’t return.
Konstantin Druzhkov, GRU Spetsnaz fighter reported to have been killed within the struggle in Ukraine.
‘I refuse to participate in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine as soon as once more as a result of lack of technical assist, lack of coordination of actions, lack of any communication with the unit and with the command,’ wrote one sergeant in a motorised unit.
Already the Kremlin has referred to as on Chechen and Syrian troops to bolster its forces.
Kyiv’s intelligence companies have intercepted data suggesting that Moscow might now be in search of to influence North Koreans to spice up its forces.
Belarus opposition figures have claimed to have data that Putin’s authentic plan for his or her forces to affix his invasion was thwarted when a number of senior navy officers resigned, fled the nation after which contacted them.
It’s believed that Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko is reluctant to ship his troops over the border on account of persevering with disquiet amongst his personal armed forces.
A Belarusian unit within the Ukrainian navy can also be calling on their troops to defect if they’re pressured to invade.
