1/ Members of the Russian elite have been criticised by many Russians for enabling their sons to evade mobilisation or war service. They have reportedly found an ingenious solution – a special unit for the elite, which serves at a safe distance from the front. ⬇️ 
2/ The VChK-OGPU Telegram channel has published a series of documents documenting what it calls a "cronies' detachment" called BARS-Kaskad (BARS-Cascade), commanded by Duma deputy Dmitry Sablin, the deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defence.
3/ According to the documents, BARS-Kaskad is for members of Putin's United Russia party "located on the territory of the new constituent entities of the Russian Federation" (i.e. the occupied regions of Ukraine).
4/ It describes their duties as "organising the work of the humanitarian headquarters of the Party, providing voluntary assistance to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, communications with voters residing on the territory of these regions."
5/ The documents show several members of Russia's State Duma engaged on short month-long "business trips" as members of BARS-Kaskad, mostly working as drone operators. Notably, they include Sablin's son Anton, who had been criticised for evading war service.
6/ Members of BARS-Kaskad have filmed themselves launching drones to guide Russian artillery fire. This, says VChK-OGPU, is "the most comfortable place to "serve" ... as it allows for the necessary distance from the line of engagement."
7/ Since around October 2022, BARS-Kaskad "has been the main refuge for members of the political elite to receive a mark of "participation in the war", including for family members". Ten members of the Duma serve in it, supposedly combining lawmaking and fighting.
8/ The "We can explain" news outlet reports that the unit is a new private military company attached to the 'Donetsk People's Republic' armed forces: "It is not registered anywhere, does not have its own legal entity, but has the support of the State Duma.
9/ "Weapons for its soldiers are provided by the Ministry of Defence, and deputies buy all the necessary ammunition at their own expense."
10/ The unit's members have posed with NATO M16, M4 and Heckler & Koch G3 rifles – very unconventional armament for Russians – showing off their elite status. They are reportedly mostly special forces soldiers, likely tasked with protecting the VIP members.
11/ According to a Duma source, "It is the professional military who fight in the unit. Deputies, so to speak, take an assault rifle and shoot. They've been cleaned up beforehand and given the opportunity to shoot."
12/ One deputy boasts of shooting Ukrainians in the mornings and distributing humanitarian aid in the afternoons. Chechen parliamentarians reportedly have separate arrangements, taking their own bodyguards with them and staying well away from the front lines. /end
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
