Thousands of Russian soldiers are fleeing Putin’s war in Ukraine but have nowhere to go
8 months, 1 week ago

Thousands of Russian soldiers are fleeing Putin’s war in Ukraine but have nowhere to go

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. I don’t regret it.” open image in gallery A Russian officer who goes by the nickname Sportsmaster speaks with reporters at his apartment in Astana, Kazakhstan Asylum claims from Russian citizens have surged since the full-scale invasion, but few are winning protection. “To say that all Russians are guilty is a mistake.” Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona has documented more than 7,300 cases in Russian courts against AWOL soldiers since September 2022; cases of desertion, the harshest charge, leapt sixfold last year. "But that’s not true.” open image in gallery This late 2023 photo shows downtown Astana, Kazakhstan, where some Russian soldiers who deserted the war in Ukraine live The question now is, where can they go? And last year, Germany got 7,663 first-time asylum applications from Russian citizens, up from 2,851 in 2022, Germany’s Interior Ministry told AP in an email.

War Ukraine Life Asylum Kazakhstan Putin Russian Officer German 2022 Soldiers Russians Fiscal Year Russian Soldiers Sportsmaster Sverdlin Yevgeny  putins  yevgeny  kazakhstan  thousands  2022  ukraine  russian  asylum  life  fleeing  officer  war  soldiers  russians

History of this topic

Deserting Russians are being killed by their own snipers and wounded troops are no longer being evacuated because so many are injuring themselves to avoid fighting, 'intercepted messages reveal'
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Deserting Russians are being killed by their own snipers and wounded troops are no longer being evacuated because so many are injuring themselves to avoid fighting, 'intercepted messages reveal'

Daily Mail  

Russian soldiers wearied by fighting for Vladimir Putin are being shot at by their own snipers, while others are deliberately injuring themselves to leave the battlefield, one disillusioned fighter has revealed. His thoughts were conveyed in an intercepted message provided to I Want To Live, a project set up in 2022 by Ukraine's military intelligence, which helps Russian soldiers safely …

Ukraine’s military is struggling with low morale and desertion
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Ukraine’s military is struggling with low morale and desertion

CNN  

Pokrovsk, Sumy and Kyiv, Ukraine CNN — Dima never puts out a cigarette until he smokes it right down to the filter, risking burning his fingers to squeeze out one more drag. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern front line, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia’s creeping advances. “The days …

Ukraine’s military is struggling with low morale and desertion
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Ukraine’s military is struggling with low morale and desertion

CNN  

Pokrovsk, Sumy and Kyiv, Ukraine CNN — Dima never puts out a cigarette until he smokes it right down to the filter, risking burning his fingers to squeeze out one more drag. The situation is particularly dire among infantry units near Pokrovsk and elsewhere on the eastern front line, where Ukraine is struggling to stop Russia’s creeping advances. “The days …

Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge
8 months, 1 week ago

Russian soldiers who quit Putin’s war get no hero’s welcome abroad as asylum claims surge

Associated Press  

ASTANA, Kazakhstan — If the choice was death or a bullet to the leg, Yevgeny would take the bullet. “We don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said his lawyer, Artur Alkhastov, who works with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law in Astana. “In Kazakhstan, politics is higher than the law... Everything can change.” In July, …

Dismayed by Moscow’s war, Russian volunteers are joining Ukrainian ranks to fight Putin’s troops
1 year ago

Dismayed by Moscow’s war, Russian volunteers are joining Ukrainian ranks to fight Putin’s troops

Associated Press  

KYIV, Ukraine — When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ignited into war, back in Moscow, a young Russian who now goes by the name of Karabas was plunged into despair. Members of the pro-Ukrainian Russian ethnic Siberian Battalion practice at a military training close to Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Ukraine’s military has formed a battalion of soldiers made up …

‘You’ll die in this pit': Takeaways from secret recordings of Russian soldiers in Ukraine
1 year ago

‘You’ll die in this pit': Takeaways from secret recordings of Russian soldiers in Ukraine

Associated Press  

Secretly recorded calls of Russian soldiers speaking from the front lines in Ukraine with loved ones back home offer a rare glimpse of the war through Russian eyes. These conversations also show clearly how the war has progressed, from the professional soldiers who initially powered Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion to men from all walks of life compelled to serve in …

Putin and top military leaders visit southern military headquarters to assess his war in Ukraine
1 year, 1 month ago

Putin and top military leaders visit southern military headquarters to assess his war in Ukraine

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Putin, top Russian brass visit southern military headquarters to assess Ukraine war
1 year, 1 month ago

Putin, top Russian brass visit southern military headquarters to assess Ukraine war

LA Times  

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov-on-Don as he assessed the state of his country’s forces in Ukraine as the war there drags on toward winter. Video shared by a Russian state news agency showed Putin being greeted late Thursday by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, shortly after …

Putin meets top generals in charge of Russia's war efforts in Ukraine
1 year, 4 months ago

Putin meets top generals in charge of Russia's war efforts in Ukraine

Firstpost  

The meeting came after Ukraine, whose counteroffensive to recapture land taken by Russia in the first months of the war has been slower than expected, said it liberated a small village along the frontline, its first since July Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday paid a visit to the commander of Russia’s operations in Ukraine and other top military brass. …

Putin Says Aborted Rebellion Played Into Hands Of Russia's Enemies
1 year, 5 months ago

Putin Says Aborted Rebellion Played Into Hands Of Russia's Enemies

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday blasted organizers of a weekend revolt as “traitors” who played into the hands of Ukraine’s government and its allies. He declined to name Prigozhin, but said mutiny organizers had tried to force the group’s soldiers “to shoot their own.” He blamed “Russia’s enemies” and said they “miscalculated.” Western officials have been …

Russian mercenaries call off march to Moscow after Putin vows to punish organizers
1 year, 6 months ago

Russian mercenaries call off march to Moscow after Putin vows to punish organizers

LA Times  

Members of the Wagner Group sit atop a tank in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, after the mercenary army’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, declared an armed rebellion. Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the private army known as the Wagner Group, said his armored forces had advanced to within 125 miles of the Russian capital after seizing control of Russia’s main rear logistical hub for its …

Ukrainian sources say shocking footage appears to show Putin's forces being shot as they try to flee
1 year, 6 months ago

Ukrainian sources say shocking footage appears to show Putin's forces being shot as they try to flee

Daily Mail  

A shocking video has shown Russian barrier troops appearing to shoot their fellow soldiers as they attempt to flee the field of battle, Ukrainian sources have claimed. A shocking video has shown Russian barrier troops appearing to shoot their fellow soldiers as they attempt to flee the field of battle The 14-second video shows the three armed Russian soldiers appearing …

War comes home to Russia: Pro-Kyiv fighters seek Putin’s downfall
1 year, 6 months ago

War comes home to Russia: Pro-Kyiv fighters seek Putin’s downfall

Al Jazeera  

Russia has been jolted by one of the most daring incursions, allegedly carried out by groups including Russian nationals. “It showed that Russia has no reserves in border regions and weak reserves in the operational depth, which means that the residents of all districts bordering Ukraine are in immediate danger and must be evacuated,” Nikolay Mitrokin of Germany’s Bremen University …

May 23, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news
1 year, 7 months ago

May 23, 2023 - Russia-Ukraine news

CNN  

Questions linger about the groups behind the cross-border attack that anti-Putin Russians say they launched from Ukraine, how it took place, and what it means for the war: Was this a classic piece of a military sleight-of-hand, a brief show of force meant to confuse and distract Russian commanders? A group of anti-Putin Russian nationals, who are aligned with the …

Putin and Zelensky rally troops with war poised for new phase
1 year, 8 months ago

Putin and Zelensky rally troops with war poised for new phase

LA Times  

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited command posts of his forces fighting in Ukraine for the second time in two months, officials said Tuesday, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made his latest trip near the front line. Elsewhere, Kremlin video showed Putin arriving by helicopter at Russian forces’ command post in southern Ukraine’s Kherson province, then flying to the headquarters of …

Ukraine military identifies soldier seen in grisly war video
1 year, 9 months ago

Ukraine military identifies soldier seen in grisly war video

Associated Press  

KYIV, Ukraine — A man who appeared to be shot dead by Russian-speakers in a short video was tentatively identified Tuesday as a missing Ukrainian soldier while the footage circulated widely on Ukrainian social media and caused an uproar. The Ukrainian military’s general staff gave the same name for the dead soldier, saying it was “according to preliminary information.” In …

Putinology: the art of analyzing the man in the Kremlin
1 year, 10 months ago

Putinology: the art of analyzing the man in the Kremlin

NPR  

Putinology: the art of analyzing the man in the Kremlin Enlarge this image toggle caption Mikhail Metzel/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images Mikhail Metzel/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images As Russian President Vladimir Putin massed his military on Ukraine's border in late 2021, many analysts doubted Putin would actually invade. Now there's a new generation of analysts who could be called "Putinologists," those seeking …

Propaganda videos are circulating to entice soldiers to join the conflict in Ukraine: Reports
2 years ago

Propaganda videos are circulating to entice soldiers to join the conflict in Ukraine: Reports

Firstpost  

Putin announced a “partial” military mobilisation in late September, and when its campaign in Ukraine stalled, more than 300,000 people were called up nationwide Moscow : Reports have emerged suggesting a new campaign launched in Moscow to encourage Russians to enlist in the armed forces and fight in the on-going war with Ukraine, despite the forces having denied needing more …

Russian gun-runner Viktor Bout wants to fight on the frontlines in Ukraine war
2 years ago

Russian gun-runner Viktor Bout wants to fight on the frontlines in Ukraine war

Firstpost  

Viktor Bout says he ‘wholeheartedly’ supports Russian President Vladimir Putin’s so-called ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine and he would ‘certainly go as a volunteer’ if he had the opportunity and the desired skills Moscow: Viktor Bout, the recently freed Russian arms dealer, says he “wholeheartedly” supports Vladimir Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and he would “certainly go as a …

Vladimir Putin ‘lost nearly 160 generals and colonels’ since Ukraine invasion
2 years ago

Vladimir Putin ‘lost nearly 160 generals and colonels’ since Ukraine invasion

Hindustan Times  

Vladimir Putin has lost more than 1,500 military officers – including nearly 160 generals and colonels – since Russia invaded Ukraine, The Independent reported. Earlier this month, the United States’ top general Mark Milley suggested that Moscow and Kyiv’s forces had each sustained more than 100,000 casualties since the war began. The list of alleged Russian losses by Ukrainian colonel …

‘How long can this go on?’ Russia’s chaotic draft leaves some soldiers cold and without gear
2 years, 1 month ago

‘How long can this go on?’ Russia’s chaotic draft leaves some soldiers cold and without gear

LA Times  

The mobilized reservists whom Russian President Vladimir Putin visited last week at a firing range southeast of Moscow looked picture-perfect. Vladimir Budaev of the Free Buryatia Foundation told the Associated Press that Indigenous people in Russia’s Far North and along the Mongolian border were “rounded up in their villages.” In remote regions of Sakha and Buryatia, enlistment officers scoured the …

Russia says its chaotic military draft is starting to wind down. Has it actually helped Putin?
2 years, 2 months ago

Russia says its chaotic military draft is starting to wind down. Has it actually helped Putin?

CNN  

CNN — The “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens to fight in the country’s war on Ukraine has been beset by errors, caused angry protests and prompted a mass exodus when it was announced last month. The Kremlin later said it has yet to set an end date for Putin’s “partial” mobilization plan, which can only end with a presidential decree. …

The Russians fleeing Putin’s military draft
2 years, 2 months ago

The Russians fleeing Putin’s military draft

Al Jazeera  

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to call up 300,000 military reservists to join the war in Ukraine has created chaos in the country. Halla Mohieddeen: That’s Albert, a Russian anti-war activist talking about the choice he faced earlier this month, when President Vladimir Putin announced he’d be drafting Russians to join the war effort against Ukraine. Halla Mohieddeen: Albert said …

Putin it away! Russians conscripts get the beers in and drink themselves senseless
2 years, 2 months ago

Putin it away! Russians conscripts get the beers in and drink themselves senseless

Daily Mail  

The partial mobilisation is supposed to raise 300,000 troops, but there are suspicions that the true number the Kremlin aims for might be much higher Others have been using scooters to beat border queues and get out of Russia Incidents of recruitment officers turning up at the homes of dead men Insubordination is also rife as recruitment officers struggle to …

What is Vladimir Putin’s next move in the face of Ukrainian battlefield victory
2 years, 3 months ago

What is Vladimir Putin’s next move in the face of Ukrainian battlefield victory

Live Mint  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine has recaptured thousands of square kilometres of territory from Russian forces in a matter of days in a counteroffensive near Kharkiv. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin’s government has so far been silent on unfolding events, although Russian state media has acknowledged Ukrainian successes. War efforts publicly questioned Putin’s popularity in Russia remains buoyant — …

Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine
2 years, 4 months ago

Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine

Associated Press  

The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. Speaking on condition of anonymity because she feared reprisals, she said her boyfriend wasn’t among the volunteers, although with years left on his sentence, he “couldn’t not think about it.” As Russia continues to suffer losses in …

As losses mount, Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine
2 years, 4 months ago

As losses mount, Russia struggles to replenish its troops in Ukraine

LA Times  

The prisoners at the penal colony in St. Petersburg were expecting a visit by officials, thinking it would be some sort of inspection. Speaking on condition of anonymity because she feared reprisals, she said her boyfriend wasn’t among the volunteers, although with years left on his sentence, he “couldn’t not think about it.” As Russia continues to suffer losses in …

Russia takes steps to bolster army, tighten grip on Ukraine
2 years, 6 months ago

Russia takes steps to bolster army, tighten grip on Ukraine

Associated Press  

KYIV, Ukraine — Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an order Wednesday to fast track Russian citizenship for residents of parts of southern Ukraine largely held by his forces, while lawmakers in Moscow passed a bill to strengthen the stretched Russian army. The chair of the Russian parliament’s defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said the measure would make it easier to hire …

Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is 'personal' for soldiers protecting their families in the Donetsk region
2 years, 7 months ago

Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine is 'personal' for soldiers protecting their families in the Donetsk region

ABC  

Ukrainian troops on the frontline of Russia's war don't pretend to know what's going through the minds of "the enemy", but if they had to guess, they think the invaders' hearts aren't in it. Dimas, a Ukraine soldier taking the ABC to the frontline near Shevchenko, in the Donetsk region, says the Russians might have "thought they'd be welcomed here". …

The Russian commanders killed in Putin’s war on Ukraine including major generals
2 years, 8 months ago

The Russian commanders killed in Putin’s war on Ukraine including major generals

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Dear brother, you will always be alive in our …

Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin honours troops accused of abuses
2 years, 8 months ago

Russia-Ukraine updates: Putin honours troops accused of abuses

Al Jazeera  

Ukraine news from April 18: Putin praises ‘mass heroism’ of brigade accused of carrying out mass killings in Bucha. 18 Apr 2022 - 19:14 GMT Four dead in shelling in Ukraine’s Donetsk region: Governor Russian shelling in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region has killed four people, regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko said on his Telegram channel. 18 Apr 2022 - 16:52 GMT …

Russia admits ‘significant losses of troops’ in Ukraine
2 years, 8 months ago

Russia admits ‘significant losses of troops’ in Ukraine

Al Jazeera  

In rare acknowledgement, Kremlin spokesman tells Sky News that the deaths of many soldiers are a ‘huge tragedy’. In a rare admission, the Kremlin said Russia has suffered “significant losses” in Ukraine amounting to a “huge tragedy” for the country. “Yes, we have significant losses of troops and it is a huge tragedy for us,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told …

Fleeing Putin’s Russia: Exiles search for new identity, but find new problems
2 years, 8 months ago

Fleeing Putin’s Russia: Exiles search for new identity, but find new problems

LA Times  

People gather for a rally in support of Ukraine in front of parliament in Tbilisi, Georgia. “People that I know in Moscow started to feel panicked, like really panicked,” Gessen, who was born in Russia, said in an interview last month on the public radio show “Fresh Air.” Gessen reported “a distinct sense that the borders were likely to close, …

Putin's invasion was a 'terrible mistake': Russian prisoners of war voice shame about conflict
2 years, 9 months ago

Putin's invasion was a 'terrible mistake': Russian prisoners of war voice shame about conflict

India Today  

Captured Russian soldiers have described hearing their own air force bombing schools, hospitals and kindergartens in Ukraine, as they admitted Vladimir Putin's barbaric invasion was a 'terrible mistake'. READ | Sanctions-savaged Russia teeters on brink of historic default YOU CANNOT FORGIVE SUCH THINGS Slamming the Russian govt, Maxim said, "It's not just about demilitarising Ukraine or the defeat of the …

Ukraine’s army, vastly outgunned, inflicts losses on more powerful Russian forces
2 years, 9 months ago

Ukraine’s army, vastly outgunned, inflicts losses on more powerful Russian forces

LA Times  

Low morale, logistics problems and resilient Ukrainian soldiers are slowing advances by Russian forces toward Kyiv as the war goes into a third week. Yes, they use planes, artillery, but we’re smart and we know the terrain well; they’re panicked so we stop them,” said Vladimir Korotya, a deputy administrator in Bucha, a town northwest of Kyiv, who has since …

Leave Ukraine, they tricked us: Captured Russian soldier's message to his troops
2 years, 9 months ago

Leave Ukraine, they tricked us: Captured Russian soldier's message to his troops

India Today  

With blindfolds on, a Russian soldier captured by Ukrainians looked scared as he sat in a brick building. When asked what message he would like to send to his troops and Russian commanders in Moscow, the soldier captured by Ukrainians said, "Frankly speaking, they tricked us.I think 90 per cent of us would agree to go home." Video shared on …

Watch: 'Lost' Russian soldiers ask for directions, Ukrainians surround tank
2 years, 9 months ago

Watch: 'Lost' Russian soldiers ask for directions, Ukrainians surround tank

Hindustan Times  

As Moscow's war on Ukraine enters day five, Ukrainian civilians on the outskirts of Koryukivka were seen blocking the movement of Russian tanks. According to reports, Russian soldiers stopped to ask for directions and were surrounded by locals to prevent them from moving towards the capital city of Kyiv, AFP reported. A private US-based company said on Monday that satellite …

Ukraine-Russia Conflict: 80-Year-Old Ukrainian Man Tries To Enlist Into Army, Photo Goes Viral
2 years, 9 months ago

Ukraine-Russia Conflict: 80-Year-Old Ukrainian Man Tries To Enlist Into Army, Photo Goes Viral

ABP News  

New Delhi: An 80-year-old Ukrainian man has won many hearts after he tried to enlist in the army, he said that he was doing this for his grandkids. According to a Reuters report, Sergiy Stakhovsky former tennis player enlisted in his country's reserve army last week, despite a lack of military experience, although he can handle a gun he said. …

‘We don’t know who to shoot, they all look like us’: Russian soldiers in Ukraine becoming disoriented, US official says
2 years, 9 months ago

‘We don’t know who to shoot, they all look like us’: Russian soldiers in Ukraine becoming disoriented, US official says

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Russian forces are reportedly …

Amid fears of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow test fires missiles
2 years, 10 months ago

Amid fears of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow test fires missiles

Firstpost  

Russia’s defence ministry said the exercise involved nearly all branches of the armed forces, including its strategic rocket forces, as well the Northern and Black Sea fleets, which have nuclear-armed submarines Moscow, Russia: Russia test fired nuclear-capable missiles on Saturday as President Vladimir Putin oversaw a dramatic military exercise and as the United States again warned that it believes Moscow …

Among ordinary Russians, little appetite for war in Ukraine
3 years ago

Among ordinary Russians, little appetite for war in Ukraine

LA Times  

Ukrainian soldiers walk past destroyed buildings in Marinka, Ukraine, on Wednesday. Ethnic Russians living there, he wrote in an essay, “are being forced not only to deny their roots, generations of their ancestors, but also to believe that Russia is their enemy.” Despite a constant stream of bellicose rhetoric from Russian state-controlled media about the supposed threat posed by a …

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