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Independent military history author and researcher. Coffee tips are appreciated! https://t.co/t1EjNrIZ2c Now also at https://t.co/4qGQ2ffHJJ

Jun 6, 2023, 17 tweets

1/ Russian soldiers fighting against the cross-border incursion in the Belgorod region are complaining that they are being "slaughtered" and "entire regiments" have been lost. They blame bad leadership, inadequate equipment, lack of artillery support and no reinforcements. ⬇️

2/ The 'Pskov Province' Telegram channel has published a statement sent to it by mobilised soldiers from the 1009th motorised rifle regiment, which was raised in Russia's Pskov region. They want to "publicise what happened on the Russian-Ukrainian border."

3/ The men say in their statement: "I would like to see the story of our regiment being slaughtered on the Shebekino and Grayvoron directions and somehow put the matter to rest.

4/ "We are under constant shelling, officers, ordinary soldiers and above all the people who have families and all their relatives at home are being killed.

5/ "There is no question of a counter-battery response, each of our shots gets dozens of responses from the Ukrainian Armed Forces. And heavy equipment and reinforcements are out of the question. We are ready to defend our homeland, but with proper supplies.

6/ "And to be taken prisoner without arms or with no possibility to counteract is not defending the homeland. On behalf of the 1009th regiment we ask you to look into this serious problem and make decisions as soon as possible".

7/ After they were mobilised eight months ago, the men were taken to the 'Luhansk People's Republic' for training, which they say took place "with varying degrees of effectiveness".

8/ They were subsequently posted to the Belgorod region for what were presumably territorial defence duties, and all their leave was cancelled without explanation.

9/ In a separate video, a soldier who identifies himself as being from the 138th Brigade talks about catastrophic losses inflicted on his unit while they were defending positions in the Belgorod region. Transcript follows:

10/ "Dear friends, I am an ordinary soldier in the Russian Federation Armed Forces. My name is Vladimir Ivanovich Milyov, 138 Brigade, infantry. Until yesterday we were on the border with Ukraine, Belgorod region.

11/ "We came under the most powerful artillery shelling of our positions, including from those fucking HIMARS [probably Grads or other Soviet-era MLRS]. We received an order to hold position, which we did.

12/ "A few hours after that, Ukrops [pejorative term for Ukrainians] came, a fucking ton of Ukrops [actually Russian Volunteer Corps members]. We fired back and tried to repel them, but there were too many of them. We requested permission to retreat, but were denied.

13/ "As a result, we lost around 80% of our personnel and were forced to retreat without permission and without reinforcements. We left the border. After some time, the same situation occurred with two other groups [units]. They mowed down entire regiments of our men.

14/ "We are aware that our command know everything in advance – about the offensive on our positions. What were you faggots waiting for? Orders from above? But that we told you we would all die here didn't bother you?

15/ "Colonel Kolchin – the blame for the death of our guys lays personally on you. You will not be able to wash the blood off your hands to the end of your life, you fucking pisser!

16/ Because of you we lost a large contingent of our personnel, lost a piece of the border, lost supply lines, a ton of people surrendered. You scum sat in your offices and waited.

17/ "Now you yourselves will have to fucking regain these positions, but now from the trenches, not from behind a desk. That's it from me, thank you for your attention." /end

Source for the 1009th MRR's statement:
t.me/guberniaband/6…

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