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1/ Mobilised Russians from Crimea and Budyonnovsk complain that they have been transferred against their will to the militia of the 'Luhansk People's Republic' (LNR) and have neither clothes, food, nor pay, but have been given damaged equipment likely taken from dead men. ⬇️ 
2/ The men and their relatives have so far made three videos documenting their issues. In the first, from May, the men say they were taken to a training camp in Luhansk and were given used and damaged body armour and weapons – likely taken from the dead.
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1664917691314888707
3/ In a second video made in June, relatives complain that their men were sent to the front line without adequate training or documents. The men were listed as being dismissed from service in the Russian Army when they were transferred to the LNR militia and now get no pay.
4/ The men's transfer was undocumented and not recorded in their military IDs. As a result, they are not being paid. The relatives say the LNR commanders are threatening their men with execution if they don't fight. A number have already been killed and wounded.
5/ In a third video, released recently, 25 of the men say they are now refusing to fight and want to be transferred back to the Russian Army. They were sent to the Bakhmut flanks at the end of May and have been relying on Wagner and Airborne Forces troops for food and water.
6/ The men don't even know who their commander is, as this is categorised as "forbidden information". In the video, they say: "There is no provision, none at all, no clothes, no food, no commanders with us."
7/ "We should not be with [the LNR militia], because we are from the Russian Ministry of Defence. Near Bakhmut we were under constant shelling until 1 June: artillery, tanks, mortars, rockets, all flying towards us day and night."
8/ "For the first three days we didn't eat or drink anything, there was hardly any water, and the militia had no commanders with us."
The refuseniks recorded their video appeal when they were moved back from the front lines. It's not clear what will happen to them. /end
The refuseniks recorded their video appeal when they were moved back from the front lines. It's not clear what will happen to them. /end
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