No Compensation, No Medals: Russian Command Betrays Its Fallen in Kherson

The Russian command is leaving the bodies of its fallen soldiers on the islands of the Kherson region, officially listing them as “missing.” This practice helps avoid paying compensation to the families of the deceased, the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh reported on Wednesday, Dec. 25.

Agents of the movement within the Russian Armed Forces report abuse of power by the command of the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade on the left bank of the Kherson region. Commanders send soldiers on deadly assaults and then refuse to evacuate the bodies of those killed, the report states.

“After one such assault, where most of the company was wiped out, the command refused to retrieve the bodies of their subordinates. This is done under orders from higher authorities to avoid paying compensation to the families of the deceased. Officially, soldiers killed on the islands are listed as ‘missing in action,’” the partisans revealed.

Surviving soldiers are outraged that commanders are not recovering the bodies of their fallen comrades, even though boats remain unused. The situation is compounded by claims that a commander reportedly stated no awards would be distributed until he had received all his medals first.

“When asked about awards, one of them said, ‘Until I decorate my chest with medals — f*ck you, no medals for you,’” the partisans reported.

Amid the losses and such treatment, tensions with the command are growing, and cases of sabotage and insubordination among soldiers are becoming increasingly frequent.

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Earlier this month, the Ukrainian Atesh partisan movement reported tracking a column of Russian military vehicles moving north through Crimea. According to a post on its Telegram channel on Thursday, Dec. 12, the column was likely heading toward the occupied Zaporizhzhia region, where Moscow is preparing to intensify its offensive operations.

“The column included a significant number of armored vehicles, including tanks, BMPs, and APCs, as well as military tractors and trucks,” the partisans wrote.

Additionally, Atesh said, “All the information we have gathered has already been passed on as intended. We know where and how to stop this equipment from reaching mainland Ukraine!”