Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ The mobilised Russians from Irkutsk who filmed a video appeal to Vladimir Putin a few days ago to save them from "slaughter" have reportedly been sent into a fresh assault against fortified Ukrainian positions at Avdiivka. Many are likely now dead. ⬇️

https://twitter.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1630867017921118209

2/ The men are from the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th companies of the 2nd Battalion of what was the Russian Army's 1439th Regiment, which was disbanded and incorporated into the 2nd Motorised Rifle Battalion of the First Slavic Brigade of the 'Donetsk People's Republic' (DNR).

3/ The 'People of Baikal' Telegram channel has reported on the outcome of the men's appeal – one of three sent by them, with their wives also making an appeal on their behalf. In the first video, recorded on 24 January, they say:

4/ "[We are] in close proximity to the front line without any training, equipment or support. Initially we were prepared as a territorial defence unit, but in fact we were thrown in as an assault group. We have already lost 19 wounded and two dead within two days.

5/ We are not receiving any pay, we eat and buy water at our own expense, we live in completely insanitary conditions, we are treated [for injuries] by our own forces at our own expense, they equipped us only with bulletproof vests of class four and a B2 helmet.

6/ We ask you to take us out of the zone of contact and sort it out, [deal] with the people responsible for this outrage, who have sent unprepared mobilised men to the front line, [and ask you] to avoid large unjustified losses.

7/ We hope for your swift action on our issue before worse consequences happen."

Their second video, recorded in early February, highlighted their unfitness for combat. In it, they say:

8/ "On arrival at the new unit, it was made clear to us by the new command that we were now not the territorial defence soldiers we had been trained to be, but combat-ready assault units ready to storm buildings and fortifications.

9/ In our unit, the average age of the troops is about 35-40 years old. Many have chronic illnesses, are overweight and have other medical limitations. Thus, it is difficult to imagine how such a unit can carry out combat missions involving assault.

10/ Throughout our training, we have been trained to guard facilities and buildings, guard bridges, and conduct service at roadblocks. Within a week, the new unit wants to turn us into stormtroopers.

11/ We do not refuse to serve in accordance with the profile and purpose of our unit, which we belong to, which belongs to the Defence Ministry. There are unjustifiable combat losses among our troops which we have no right to repeat."

12/ The men also sent a written appeal to Putin and the Russian military prosecutor's office. In it, they wrote that their commanders were threatening them with death, and that DNR troops were refusing to evacuate the wounded because "they are afraid of losing their equipment."

13/ "When we are unable to carry out orders, death threats are received. As an example, they say:

14/ "You will be treated as a deserter, you will get in trouble with the commandant's office and the military police, we will disband you two by two and send you on an offensive from which you will not return."

15/ The men say that the DNR evacuation teams will only take their own wounded fighters, not the Russians, and only evacuate those with minor injuries, leaving behind the heavily wounded and killed:

16/ "Our compatriots who have fallen in combat remain in the missing persons category, and the wounded are evacuated once a day.

17/ The wounded are carried on stretchers for about one and a half kilometres from the red zone to the road, they are loaded onto personal vehicles under threat of gunfire and taken to a local hospital."

18/ The unit's deputy regimental commander, call sign "The Rock", is said to have tried to explain to the DNR commanders that "yesterday's drivers, welders, furniture makers and scrap metal workers cannot be part of an elite attack unit and have no skills for that".

19/ After another meeting, they say, "The Rock" was detained, his weapons were taken from him and he taken to an unknown destination. His fate is unknown.

20/ Following the appeals, Irkutsk governor Igor Kobzev wrote that he was working to resolve the situation: "Regarding the video message recorded by our mobilised guys from Regiment 1439. I contacted the military prosecutor's office of the Ministry of Defence for clarification.

21/ They identified a person in charge of working with our servicemen. They conducted individual interviews and in the near future the guys will be transferred to a new duty station. I am keeping the situation under control."

22/ However, 'People of Baikal' reports that despite all the appeals the men were sent into yet another likely failed assault. A survivor tells the channel: "Nothing has changed at all, although we had high hopes." /end

23/ Sources:
t.me/kobzevii/2537
t.me/Baikal_People/…
t.me/Baikal_People/…
t.me/Baikal_People/…
t.me/Baikal_People/…

threadreaderapp.com/thread/1631579…

Further update:

https://twitter.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1631940640110985216?t=EMwKJCQjp5b7-Z1F9NUQWQ&s=19