Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Executing Soldiers Refusing Orders in New Ukraine Assault – White House

Russian servicemen. Alexander Reka / TASS

Russia is executing soldiers who refuse to follow the orders of their commanders as it carries out a new offensive in eastern Ukraine, the White House said Thursday, noting that Russian forces were suffering "significant" losses of armor and personnel.  

"We have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who are refusing to follow orders," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said during a press briefing.

"We also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire," he added.

Kirby did not give further details when asked about the alleged executions or how the United States had obtained the information.

Russia has stepped up attacks near the town of Avdiivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region and the northeastern city of Kupyansk as it tries to move the front line forward before winter, when fighting will become much more difficult. 

Moscow has suffered "significant losses" in the new offensive, including at least 125 armored vehicles and "thousands" of soldier casualties, Kirby said.

"The Russian military appears to be using what we would call human wave tactics," he said. "It is unsurprising that Russian forces are suffering from poor morale."

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more