What happened to the “Shaymuratov battalion” volunteer
37-year-old Bashkir Anatoly In June, he enlisted in the army, and three months later he was sent to the front to fight against Ukraine. His military Union spent 2 and a half weeks at the front.
“All that time we didn’t have regular food. We had no ammunition, so we had to look for a machine gun comb in the surrounding forest. They promised us new equipment and ammunition, but they distributed automatic weapons that had already been used 3 times. Some had a bent barrel, some stuck after the second shot. We didn’t have any heavy weapons.” – he says.
A week or two after being thrown into the war zone, Anatoly and dozens of other contractees soldier they refused the contract and demanded to be returned home. All of them are regional “Shaymuratov Battalion”. military they fought together.
Anatoly’s story reflects the supply and morale problems faced by Russia’s army in a war that lasted longer than Russia expected.
Although the exact numbers are not known, according to some Western intelligence, the number of Russians killed and wounded in the war reached 80 thousand. But this number cannot be independently confirmed.
Russia to tempt new volunteers with money, send prisoners to the front, give foreign mercenaries citizenship offer resort to such ways as
Manpower problems are exacerbated by the refusal of many volunteer “contract” soldiers to contract and fight.
Russia President Vladimir Putin when announcing the mobilization, he also announced that the term of volunteer soldiers was automatically extended. so the president he was trying to prevent them from refusing to fight.
The exact number of volunteers who broke their contracts is unknown. However, it is reported that there are hundreds of such cases. “Conflict Information Team”. Russia NGOfounder of Ruslan Leviev He told “Nastoyasheye Vremya” that “the phenomenon of refusal has become systematic”.
“According to our calculations, contract soldiers returning from Ukraine and preparing to be sent to battle again 20-40 percent refuse to return,” – he said in April.
Media, open intelligence and Ukraine According to officials, the problem is getting worse.
“Shaymuratov Battalion” of Bashkortostan was one of the voluntary units created by Russia to solve the problem of manpower shortage.
The goal of this association, established in late May, is 800 soldier was to attract
Initially, as volunteers were enrolled in the army 200 thousand rubles (3300 dollars) payment and 2 thousand rubles per day (33 dollars) daily service fee was promised. These salaries are higher than the average salary in Bashkortostan. Despite large oil fields, the Republic of Bashkortostan is considered one of the poorest regions of Russia.
Anatoly admits that his decision to join the army was also related to money: “The issue of money played a role. I thought I would pay back my debts and earn a little money for my family.” – he says.
Radio Azadlig from Bashkortostan by telephone and social 42 more than Anatoli, who spoke through media messages soldier He says that his partner applied for a non-combat waiver on September 17.
“Their (Ukrainians’) artillery was so accurate that they could find our trenches up to a meter and fire. 10 we had a series of trenches, they shot each of them in a row”, – he says.
According to Anatoly, he and his fellow soldiers applied to refuse to fight of the day in the morning “zampolit” (duty from the Soviet era; of soldiers political following the position of the state political cadre) came to “talk” with the group. September 20They were taken to the Kherson region. On September 21, when Putin ordered mobilization, they were told that they would be taken to Crimea in parts.
After being kept in a garage for 2 and a half days, the soldiers made a video appeal and were released by the head of Bashkortostan and his assistant in charge of mobilization. Alik Kamaletdinovthey were able to send a Later social another in the media video also shared.
Kamaletdinov rejected Radio Liberty’s request for disclosure.
A day later, Kamaletdinov himself came from Ufa, persuaded 30 soldiers to return to the front, and 13 remained in the garage. According to Anatoly, Kamaletdinov sent those 13 soldiers to different units offer but they did not agree.
“He called us dogs and told us that we would be considered traitors in our country. He said that we will be “thrown away” and our loved ones “will not see the day.” Then he left and we didn’t see him again.” – Anatoly is speaking.
Anatoly says that he was kept in that garage until October 9 and another 9 days in another place. On October 18, the officers gave him and other companions their documents free they said they were.
According to Anatoly, some of them hitchhiked and others went to Crimea by bus, and Anatoly and 4 other friends arrived in Ufa on October 22. Anatoly says that he is unaware of what happened to the soldiers who stayed to fight.
To finalize Anatoly’s contract, whose contract officially expires on October 28 military avoids going to the commissary. He is afraid that he will be caught again and sent to prison, or even worse – to Ukraine.
Anatoly says that he did not receive the promised bonus of 200,000 rubles and most of the daily service fee. Only 34 thousand rubles (560 dollars) has been paid.
“It seems that I spent so many days in Ukraine in vain”, – he says.