The bombs have replaced Russian ground forces in Ukraine. There are many indications that the advance on the ground has virtually stopped, and there have been various speculations and theories about the reasons for this.
Now there are more reports of growing reluctance among soldiers and officers. The young boys did not know what they were sent into, several sources say.
“I do not know why I am here. I had to kill innocent people! ” says a crying, young soldier who for the first time gets to call home to his mother in Russia after surrendering to Ukrainian authorities.
This is a reproduction of one of many recordings that are posted on a Telegram channel documenting the war in Ukraine, says senior adviser Inna Sangadzhieva in the Helsinki Committee.
She tells of 17-18 year old boys in the first service who did not know what awaited them when they crossed the border into the neighboring country.
– Are these real, reliable recordings?
– Yes, that is it, she assures.
Many killed and wounded
None of the soldiers knew they were going to go to war. If they had known, I think most of them would have refused, I think, she says.
The Pentagon estimates that Russia has lost 10 percent of its original fighting force, including soldiers, tanks, aircraft and other military equipment.
NATO estimates that between 30,000 and 40,000 Russian soldiers so far have lost their lives or been wounded during the war. This means that every third Russian soldier is killed or wounded, if the numbers are correct.
– CLOSE TO RUSSIA: Inna Sangadzhieva, Senior Adviser to the Helsinki Committee. Photo: Frode Sunde / TV 2
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Several desertions
In addition, the Ukrainian military claims that they have killed a number of Russian generals.
There are several intelligence reports that tell of demotivated soldiers who will not participate in the acts of war. Many of the reports come from Ukrainian sources, but are reliable enough for the Norwegian defense authorities to refer to them.
– There have been more frequent reports of desertions. Self-harm and sabotage are reported to avoid getting to the front or as a way out, but this is difficult to objectively verify, says head teacher in intelligence at the Norwegian Defense College, Tom Røseth.
Contacted Norwegian
The deserting soldiers risk six months in prison if caught. For many, it may be safer to simply surrender to Ukrainian forces, or find other ways to escape hostilities.
– RESISTANCE: The Russian soldiers received resistance in were not prepared for. Here Ukrainian soldiers with RPG grenades in Irpin. Photo: Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP)
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Already at the very beginning of the war, several soldiers are said to have tried to resist.
The Norwegian Aage Borchgrevink was himself contacted by a desperate father of small children, a professional soldier who realized that he did not want to follow the order to enter the neighboring country with weapons.
Escape only resort
The man contacted Borchgrevink via friends in Norway.
– He was at the border, and there were several in the squad who did not want to go into Ukraine. He wanted to get away, preferably away from Russia, but as a soldier he had to give up his passport. It was difficult for us to help, and he probably had no choice but to flee and try to hide, says Borchgrevink.
– COLLECTING EVIDENCE: Aage Storm Borchgrevink was contacted by a soldier who did not want to fight against Ukrainians. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen
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He has stayed in Ukraine to gather evidence of war crimes on behalf of the Helsinki Committee.
– We hear about such stories, but it is difficult to say anything certain about the scope, he says.
Sabotage and self-harm
Several reports tell of both soldiers and officers who actually sabotage their own movements, and thus the advances on the ground are delayed, according to Røseth.
– This will be about sabotage of own vehicles and deliberate passivity without directly refusing to obey orders, he says.
In addition, soldiers will try to make it look as if they have been shot and injured by Ukrainian forces and thus become incompetent.
– There will be cases of self-harm with Ukrainian ammunition, confirms Røseth.
Must have been transported “away”
Some soldiers in troops who have been in battle, and who are drawn to the border again to get supplies or for other reasons have to be regrouped, refuse to return to the fighting. Then they are taken care of.
– I have heard from sources in Russia that they are then taken out of service, and transported away “to be worked on further”, says Sangadzhieva in the Helsinki Committee.
– PROPAGANDA: This poster reads “The Russian soldier is a liberator!”. Few Ukrainians believed in it. So do fewer and fewer Russian soldiers themselves. Photo: STRINGER / AFP)
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The starting point for motivating the Russian soldiers and officers to wage a war in Ukraine was poor. All indications are that they did not know what to expect.
– According to several sources, these were only informed about an exercise before they were sent in as part of the invasion force. Such secrecy, combined with the fact that propaganda that they should liberate Ukraine are not true, we can assume has gone beyond motivation, says Røseth.
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