1/ Thousands of Russian soldiers have likely been killed by their own side, with 300 men said to have been murdered in one unit alone. The story of one commander who was killed by another, who was then also killed, highlights an ongoing epidemic of murder, torture and robbery. ⬇️ 
2/ A recent report by The New York Times describes how families of Russian soldiers made 6,000 confidential complaints in only six months between April and September 2025. They were accidentally leaked by the office of the Russian human rights ombudsman.
3/ The complaints cover a wide range of abuses, many of which have been separately documented by soldiers themselves in videos posted on social media or released (likely posthumously) by their relatives.
4/ Generally speaking, they fall into two categories: wanton indifference to welfare (sending badly injured men and former POWs back to fight without medical treatment, falsifying or denying medical reviews), and outright criminality (torture, theft, murder).
5/ Some of this is clearly done for rational if brutal reasons, such as tackling manpower shortages or 'remotivating' men to fight, albeit in violation of Russian military and civil law. However, as the Times notes, the personal profit of commanders is a motive in many cases.
6/ Numerous soldiers and relatives describe men being tied to trees, beaten, or simply killed by commanders in the course of extorting money from them. Soldiers say they are forced to pay bribes to go on leave, get transferred to another unit, or avoid going on assault missions.
7/ The latter are known euphemistically as "life support" payments. Sometimes families are extorted to send money to commanders to keep their loved ones alive, which leads to their men being sent to their deaths when the money runs out.
8/ Soldiers and relatives have reported an epidemic of murder in the Russian army, known euphemistically as obnuleniye, or "zeroing out" (also known as "resetting to zero", or "being reset").
9/ This may involve being deliberately sent to die, such as being sent on an assault without any body armour or weapons, or simply being executed by fellow soldiers. The victims are well aware of what is to happen to them and leave video testimonies.
https://x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/1977739160099115173
10/ Such abuses often take place systematically, with entire units being extorted and abused by their commanders. According to relatives, 300 men of the 272nd Motorised Rifle Regiment were murdered in 2023-24, with their phones being used by commanders to steal their salaries.
11/ "To conceal evidence of the murders, the bodies of the executed soldiers were either buried in abandoned places or blown up with antitank mines, leaving virtually nothing behind," according to the relatives' complaint.
12/ "Only small fragments of bodies were delivered to relatives in sealed zinc coffins, while a majority remained somewhere out there in the fields."
13/ Murders often appear to be committed to cover up other crimes by eliminating witnesses or accomplices. 18-year-old Said Murtazaliyev told his mother that he would be 'zeroed out' after helping his commander collect $15,000 in 'life support' bribes from other soldiers.
14/ Even commanders are not exempt from being killed on their superiors' orders. In July 2025, Russian warbloggers raised the alarm after the disappearance of Yuri Valerievich Burakov, commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 95th Regiment, call sign 'Sedoy'.
15/ As described at the time, Burakov disappeared after being called to a meeting with the 95th Regiment's commander, D.A. Ivankevich, call sign 'Starina'. It has now been revealed that he was murdered by Ivankevich in a dispute over corruption.
16/ According to Russian warblogger Petr Lundstrem, who has waged a public campaign to find out what happened to Burakov, the 95th regiment's leadership was embroiled in "drug trafficking, robberies, looting, extortion, salary theft, trade in fuel and lubricants…
17/ …and humanitarian aid, stolen transport and other details that make your hair stand on end."
Despite complaints, this was said to have been taking place with impunity for the perpetrators, who were likely being protected by (and were perhaps paying off) superior officers.
Despite complaints, this was said to have been taking place with impunity for the perpetrators, who were likely being protected by (and were perhaps paying off) superior officers.
18/ Lundrem writes that after the meeting between Burakov and Ivankevich on 28 July, the latter, apparently drunk, told the former's wife that her husband had "gone to Sochi" (deserted). Lundstrem's subsequent campaign prompted an investigation – a rare occurrence.
19/ According to Lundstrem, the investigation found that "two weeks before these events, Sedoy (incidentally, a former intelligence officer) submitted a request for a transfer from the 95th Regiment."
20/ "On 28 July 2025, he was indeed summoned to the 95th Regiment's location, where a conflict erupted with Regimental Commander Starina and his rapid response team, consisting of Ya. A. Gorelkin (call sign 'Yastreb') and S. A. Sukhovirsky (call sign 'Sukhoi')."
21/ "The conflict was presumably related to Sedoy's transfer, as well as an attempt to conceal the heavy losses and theft within the regiment that Sedy had learned about.
What happened next, we learned for sure only in mid-September.
What happened next, we learned for sure only in mid-September.
22/ "On 11 August 2025, Starina wrote a statement of self-incrimination and confessed to the murder of battalion commander Yuri Burakov. The crime itself was committed on 28 July, two days before our post.
23/ "On 3 September during the search, Sukhoi pointed out the burial site of Sedoy's remains. He reported that after the public outcry, they had already reburied him...
24/ "For reasons unknown to us, Starina was not arrested during his self-incrimination, nor was a criminal case opened at that time. Despite the excellent work of the military prosecutor's office, the local investigative committee, to put it mildly, showed no zeal.
25/ "Starina was removed from command of the regiment and sent, supposedly, to the assault. However, according to available information, he did not personally participate in the assaults.
26/ "On 11 September, a criminal case was nevertheless opened against him, although he was never detained due to his service on the front lines.
In November of this year, it became known that Starina was found with four bullet wounds—two to the head and two to the heart.
In November of this year, it became known that Starina was found with four bullet wounds—two to the head and two to the heart.
27/ "Starina was killed, but the two other alleged accomplices who helped him cover up the crime have still not been brought to justice."
As 'Reserve Pioneer' notes, Burakov's case was far from unique, and illustrates the weakness of the Russian military justice system:
As 'Reserve Pioneer' notes, Burakov's case was far from unique, and illustrates the weakness of the Russian military justice system:
28/ "I would also like to add that I have recently spoken with many soldiers and comrades from this brigade who are currently undergoing [this kind of] treatment. And Sedoy's murder is just one of the cases described!"
29/ "In reality, crimes of this nature occur there on a regular basis: zeroing out, bribery, selling humanitarian aid, throwing soldiers into a 100% death sentence. The only thing I can't understand is why no action is being taken to punish this?
30/ "How come Starina, after his show trial confession, was sent to the assault force instead of jailed? Full names and call signs are known in most cases! With such degenerates, we don't even need an external enemy." /end
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