"Russian soldiers refusing to carry out combat missions" Topic

A board of shame was reportedly put up in Budennovsk, southern Russia, at the base of the 205th Separate Cossack Motor Rifle Brigade. It lists around 300 soldiers below the caption "THEY REFUSED TO CARRY OUT COMBAT MISSIONS".
Thread by ChrisO, July 15.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Is that the orc way of saying KIA.

When solders are just asking why they are fighting a useless war, when generals are killed on the front lines, army moral is getting to the breaking point.

No, they would be put on the hero's board.

I prefer not to use the word "orc", it is too similar to "sub-human" or untermensch.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Walks like a duck!

Officers too?

If there were only a few refusniks this might have some effect of deterring others, but advertising that many are doing it makes it easier for others to also refuse. This list may be the majority of surviving infantry and tankers in a couple of BTGs.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Shocking!

What's up with them and why aren't they shot already?
Are ruzzians getting decadent and weak like the West or what?

Isn't that why they put Gennady Zhidko in charge of the ruzzian forces in Ukraine lately, appointed head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces?
To keep up the high moral?

Putin hasn't declared war as that would make him an instant war criminal. As Russia is not at war it is volunteers only. So, Putin is hoist by his own petard. Some refusniks are being fired, but there are court cases claiming this is illegal.

Perhaps 'boards of shame' is the new idea to keep up morale?
This brigade may have received an order to put up a 'board of shame' without the higher-ups realising how many names would go on it.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Those refusing orders, deserters, etc. all influences the Russian's ability to wage their war of imperialism. As it is their Infantry Squads are reported down to 1/2 strength or less.

Based on at least some of the suggested strengths of Russian units, or lack thereof, is it just a list of Brigade members! More seriously it would be interesting to know what percentage of the unit that is.

Frankly I would have thought it would have made way more sense to quickly and quietly shuffle people how've un-volunteered off to do all those other jobs that militaries need doing in various corners and Russia no doubt has plenty of remote corners. A 'board of shame' with 300 names on it would seem to ask rather more questions than I think its originators intended! To the point were I actually wonder if its actually some kind of back-handed protest.

Some of those pictures seem to be of senior officers! Anyway, I call it a board of principle!

I'm sure Vladimir has ways and people to take care of this.

CIA says Russia has lost 15,000 troops so far in Ukraine

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Armand

The 205th Separate Cossack Motor Rifle Brigade wiki page. They saw action in Georgia in 2008.
"The 205th was committed to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the 49th Army. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on 3 March that elements of the brigade were sent into combat from the reserves in an attack towards the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia and Mariupol."

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Odd to deploy just 'elements' of a brigade, isn't it?

Odd to deploy just 'elements' of a brigade, isn't it?

Well … ah no … You can deploy a Bn, Bn TF, even Co., Co Tms, from a Bde. And not the entire Bde.

Btg are composed of elements from other parent units, aren't they?

No. Usually a Russian brigade with 3 mech btns & 1 armoured btn can put together 1 or 2 BTGs, depending on how many conscripts they have to leave behind, splitting the tank btn and other brigade assets between them. The 3rd mech btn (cadre) is used for training, but some of these are adding "volunteers" scrapped from odd sources and being sent to Ukraine.

Odd to deploy just 'elements' of a brigade, isn't it?

Only elements i.e. the BTGs are sent to start with, if they send 2 they could be used separately, and as legion 4 says.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

More reports of Russians refusing to fight, then isolated for re-education. Then the soldiers' parents are being catfished into thinking they are fine. No contact since.
link

Now, what is cheaper for mother ruzzia, MIA or KIA?

If they were found tortured to death by Ukrainian Super NAZIS, it would even boost ruzzian fighting spirit.

By chance any specialist for MIA/KIA entitlements in ruzzia among us?

There would be more videos like this, but there is a Russian federal law against soldiers having smart phones & not just in combat zones.

In the Urals, the smartphones of guilty soldiers were nailed to the board of shame, fishki.net, February 21, 2020.

========

video of 205th brigade on pre-war exercise. They have a lot of equipment of various types.

It has an under-strength BTG in Ukraine according to Jomini, see right of map

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

The AFU almost have an encirclement (just like I said yesterday), they tried to close it yesterday but failed. 11thSGAAB, 205th SMRB and 10th Separate Special Purpose Brigade are putting up some resistance.
DefMon3

Rumours about Vysokopillya
After an attempted to breakout was stopped by Ukrainian fire, they turned back and are 3/4 surrounded with fire controlling the only exit. The Russians have asked for a corridor to retreat. The Ukrainians have refused, citing a violation of a previous similar agreement at Ilovaisk. The Ukrainians have called on the Russians to surrender.
unian.ua, 22.07.22
No real evidence though.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Reminds me of a map from the Battle of the Bulge/Ardennes Offensive, the winter of '44-'45 …

Btg are composed of elements from other parent units, aren't they?

"GUR reported on July 21 that Russian forces are forming hybrid battalion tactical groups (BTGs) from elements of different units as they lack sufficient manpower to form BTGs from a single military base." understandingwar, July 21.

This may be by combining remnants of degraded units returned from Ukraine or combining bits of brigades and divisions that were left behind after the 1st (or 2nd etc) BTG was sent from each.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Odd to deploy just 'elements' of a brigade, isn't it?

In the peace time Russian military (and they are not officially at war, according to the Kremlin), the brigades in existence are likely to be garrison units, rather than actual tactical formations.

Such a garrison unit would contain a mixture of officers, contract soldiers, conscipts in various stages of training, support and administrative staff etc.

So they are not considered Combat Ready …

Infantry: The Russian Reckoning

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Armand

Russian Soldiers Are Shooting Themselves In The Leg To Escape Ukraine And Get A $50,000 USD Payout

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Armand

Morale and discipline problems with Russian troops in Ukraine, analysts say

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Armand

Yes it all comes down to the Russian military is 2d rate at best. Plus, it has been said the measure of any Army is its Infantry.

Some Russian Forces Appear to Be Fleeing Ukraine, Pentagon Says

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Armand

Sounds promising …

One advantage for Russia in retreating across the border is that contract soldiers can't refuse to fight in Ukraine, as it is Russia. This can keep some Ukrainian units tied down at the border. Also conscripts can be used to reinforce units defending the border.

It becomes a problem again if they try to send these units back to Ukraine. Then there will be a lot of refusals.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I think the Russian leadership would rather have those soldiers inside the Ukraine fighting. But the ones there are not doing a very good job anyway …

The latest tactic to name and shame Russian soldiers refusing to fight is to display their pictures public urinals.

Better than having your picture in the obituaries.

The State Duma approved an amendment to toughen liability for desertion and other crimes against military service if committed "during the period of mobilization or martial law, in wartime or in conditions of armed conflict or combat operations".

rian_ru (Telegram), Sep 20.

This is probably to cover the loop-hole that it is not a "war".

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

So… the question here is…

Why Is Putin's Army Inept?

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Armand