Thread by @ChrisO_wiki

1/ Relatives of mobilised Russians say the Ukrainians have inflicted huge casualties in their counter-offensive, with even lightly wounded Russians dying for lack of first aid. Food, water and ammunition is barely available and soldiers are not being rotated for months on end. ⬇️

2/ The relatives, who are from the Russian Far East, say that their male relatives were mobilised in late September 2022 but "did not receive proper training." The men were sent to Ukraine with the 60th Independent Motorised Rifle Brigade only ten days after being called up.

3/ The relatives point out that Russian government promises that the men would be granted leave have not been met. Instead of being rotated, most have been on the front line for eight months without a break. By 1 June 2023, only a third of the brigade had been granted leave.

4/ "For a full eight months they worked on the first line of defence. During this time there was not a single rotation of mobilised men. All the time they were under fire from the Armed Forces of Ukraine."

5/ "The reasons for not sending people on leave were the anticipation of an offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Despite the lack of replacements for the men, the difficult situation at the front did not prevent the brigade leaders themselves from resting and going on leave.

6/ "During their time in defence, our men did not leave a single position. Stoically endured all the difficulties of the situation. Knocked down a quadcopter. The fighters took prisoners of war in the woods under shelling while in contact [with Ukrainian forces].

7/ "The distinguished lads were presented with awards. The families of the mobilised men received letters of commendation for their excellent service ...

8/ "It was impossible for them to stay out of their dugouts during the day due to artillery shelling and at night the AFU snipers were active. Food delivery was difficult, in difficult conditions The guys were doing their job, holding their positions.

9/ From 23 May, the massive offensive of the AFU began along most of the front line. The main blow came to the positions of the 60th brigade because of incorrect information about the number of AFU soldiers, as well as their heavy artillery.

10/ "The guys who were on the first line of defence were surrounded and had to get out of an encirclement. Some guys had to swim across the river, as a result of which they drowned. There are guys who were taken captive under physical and moral violence.

11/ "The guys were forced to record video messages addressed to the Russian government and the Ministry of Defence during the battle, as well as during open engagements with the enemy and artillery fire. Support by [Russian] artillery fire left much to be desired.

12/ "The brigade waited for reinforcements, or rather tanks, for three days, but they never came. Caught under a barrage of artillery fire from the AFU, our guys suffered huge losses of personnel. Their comrades were killed before their eyes.

13/ "They saw limbs, arms, legs, heads torn off, but there was no way to help the wounded. From shock, pain and loss of blood, the wounded died on the battlefield. Even lightly wounded soldiers with shrapnel wounds died.

14/ "After first aid the wounded were sent back to their positions.

All of the above circumstances led to critical losses of both personnel and destruction of heavy guns.

15/ "The units that survived due to the strength of the battalions were forced to retreat, after which, without reinforcing the battalions, providing combat equipment, and replenishing the units with guns, the brigade command gave new orders to go to the line of contact with…

16/ …the enemy without artillery support. Soldiers are sent to the sawmills 'on vacation', to wait for reinforcements, without supplying them with everything they need. As a result, under the pouring rain documents are ruined, clothes and personal belongings fall into disrepair.

17/ "There is no possibility of drying them, as a result of which the guys have colds and diseases. They have water and food in very limited quantities."

18/ The women complain of the "arbitrariness and lawlessness" of the brigade's commanders, whom they say are sending their men on an "offensive project from which they will not return."

19/ Some of the men have refused to return to the front line and have filmed themselves imprisoned in a basement. They say they were "thrown into tree lines like dogs". The men are being threatened with charges for desertion.

https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1678436470334406658

20/ According to the relatives: "Our surviving men are now demoralised and morally exhausted. In addition to limited communication with family and friends, the guys need medical and psychological assistance in urgent rehabilitation to restore their health and psyche.

21/ "But instead of all this, [battalion commander] Gavrilov and other commanders, having unlimited power over the mobilised men with their threats of blackmail, force them to go to the front line without proper uniforms and weapons and equipment.

22/ "Our men are being sent to unjustified sacrifices. Our men do not refuse to take part, but are ready to fulfil their duty in front of and follow the competent orders of their commanders. This is a sure step towards a loss of life that will do no good.

23/ "We ask [army leaders and regional governors] to conduct a check on the competence of the command of the 60th Brigade. And stop irresponsibly risking the lives of citizens of the Russian Federation, the defenders of the Motherland." /end

Source:
t.me/ostorozhno_nov…