‘There was no one to prepare them for battle.’ Soldiers who gave up the war
Disappointed with his indiscipline, the soldier told his wife about his plan to leave the army and return to civilian life after the end of his contract.
19-year-old contract soldier Igor Ivkin was killed in Ukraine on March 8. Her husband spoke to RFE / RL’s North.Realities about his frustration with the military before his husband’s death.
Ivkin from Pskov in late December 2021 Ukraine sent to the border. Russia Presidents Vladimir PutinTroops were already concentrated on the border under the command of
“If you don’t serve in the army, you’re not a man”
On February 7, his 23-year-old wife Yulia Ivkina gives birth to daughters Xenia. Ivkin is given a four-day vacation to meet his daughter.
“It simply came to our notice then. He would be a wonderful father. He would rest me at night, shake his daughter and change his diaper. He called me a ‘queen’ and his daughter a ‘prince’. – Julia speaks.
Ivkin, who was buried on March 30 in the village of Vorontsovo near Pskov, is one of thousands of Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine. Putin arrived in Ukraine on February 24 snowThe number of casualties in the war he started is very small.
“The last time he called, he was talking about the terrible situation there and the deaths of his comrades.” I do not know exactly how many people died. But they were always under fire. He said he would do anything to survive. The main thing was to return home. ” – Julia said.
According to the woman according toIvkin believed that, “If you don’t serve in the army, you’re not a man.” She according to He also joined the army and signed a professional contract. He also wanted to save money and become a property owner.
Disappointment
But her husband says he was soon disappointed. Especially after being sent to the 25th Brigade in Luga, near St. Petersburg.
“Igor did not like it at all. The equipment was old and broken. No one prepared them for war. “ – Julia speaks.
Disappointed with the indiscipline, the soldier told his wife about his plan to leave the army and return to civilian life after the end of his contract.
“When we came to Pskov that weekend, we saw each other. When he came home, he cursed a lot and said he was tired of everything there. “ – Julia said.
Ivkin said that there was not enough food, everyone in the department liked to drink, and many used drugs.
At the moment Russia It is preparing for a new attack on eastern Ukraine. Ukraine and Western officials warn that the attack will intensify.
As for Russia’s losses, Ukraine snowof the party 20 claims to have lost more than a thousand. Russia So far, the figure has been announced once – 1,351 soldiers have been killed.
20-40 percent
Meanwhile, there are reports of an increase in the number of soldiers refusing to go to war, which Russia calls a “special military operation.” To a calculation according toUp to 40 percent of troops recently withdrawn from Ukraine refuse to return.
Serving in the Far East in the Amur region Pavel It is said that the soldier fought in the war for 40 days and refused to return to Ukraine after being sent to Russia to regroup. His mother, Yelena, told RFE / RL.
Agora legal aid NGOfounder of Pavel Chikov He wrote in the Telegram that, more than a thousand military personnel in at least seven provinces and Milli The guard refused to go to Ukraine.
Conflict Intelligence Team, which monitors open source information about the Russian army NGOfounder of Ruslan Leviyev told Current Time that, the real figure can be quite large. According to him according tothese refusals regroup in Russia and Attempts to resume military operations in eastern Ukraine could be severely damaged.
“The phenomenon of rejection is becoming systematic. Such troops are found in every unit returning from Ukraine. To our calculations according toReturned from Ukraine and contract soldiers prepared to be sent back 20-40% refuse to return to war “ – Leviyev said.
If occupation is not called “war”…