A Russian soldier reportedly shot and killed his commander in Ukraine’s occupied Zaporizhzhia region, according to a Telegram report from the partisan movement Atesh.
An Atesh agent embedded in the Russian Armed Forces reported the incident, which involved the 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade.
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The attack was on the morning of Jan. 14 near the settlement of Huliaipole. The agent said that a driver-mechanic armed with a 5.45mm Kalashnikov assault rifle shot and killed the commander of his grenade launcher platoon and wounded a sergeant, the partisans said.
In response to the incident, the command of Russian military unit 51460 is reportedly increasing restrictions on personal weapons to prevent further acts of violence against officers and non-commissioned officers.
Service conditions within the brigade are described as “unbearable,” according to soldiers from the unit. Soldiers have allegedly been subjected to torture, intimidation, and the confiscation of their mobile phones.
“Commanders demand bribes and sometimes even seize soldiers’ salary cards,” Atesh reported.
In late October 2024, Kyiv Post reported, citing Atesh, that Russian servicemembers from the 1440th Motorized Rifle Regiment had refused orders to advance in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to the report, certain squads declined to go on the offensive in this frontline sector, prompting their arrest by Russian military police.
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A Kyiv Post source within Ukraine’s security services, speaking anonymously, described the Zaporizhzhia sector as a heavily fortified line of combat.
The source added that advancing in this area would be tantamount to suicide for Russian forces. They said that no significant offensives were occurring, with the situation characterized instead by infighting among Russian units.
Incidents of disobedience and sabotage are reportedly increasing among Russian troops and in the occupied territories of the Kherson region, according to Atesh.
In a report from early January, the partisan group claimed that Russian commanders in the Kherson region are leaving the bodies of fallen soldiers on the islands at the delta of the Dnipro River, officially listing them as “missing.”
The report also detailed abuses of power within the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade stationed on the Russian-occupied left bank of the Dnipro in the Kherson region. Commanders are accused of sending soldiers on deadly assaults and then refusing to recover the bodies of those killed. This practice is generally interpreted as the Russian military trying to avoid paying compensation to the soldiers’ families.
Surviving soldiers have expressed outrage, saying that their fallen comrades’ bodies remain unrecovered despite boats being available. One commander reportedly told troops, “Until I decorate my chest with medals – then f**k you, no medals for you,” when asked about awards.
These actions, combined with significant losses, have heightened tensions between soldiers and their commanders. As a result, cases of sabotage and insubordination among Russian troops are reportedly becoming more frequent.
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