Russian media: nearly 700 Russian contractors from the 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade want to desert from battlefield

Illustrative photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

STANISLAV POHORILOV – FRIDAY, 19 AUGUST 2022, 14:22

Nearly 700 contractors from the 64th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, which is responsible for war crimes in the Kyiv region, are trying to get fired and leave Ukraine but don’t manage to.

Source: media Vazhnie Istorii (Important Stories)

Details: Media cites the servicemen from this brigade who say that the Russian command refuses to withdraw them from the territory of Ukraine – even those soldiers whose contract with the army expired back in May.

Due to this, some contractors run away and head for their military unit for their own money in order to write a resignation letter there. The command tries to persuade the soldiers to stay by promising them to increase their salary from 90 to 120 thousand rubles a month.

One of the interviewees complains it is impossible to leave Ukraine: "It is unreal. There are checkpoints everywhere. Conscientious objectors who left had their report signed by their deputy commander. Our command won’t sign it. The command doesn’t give a **** about all the servicemen".

The interviewed soldiers also confirmed their involvement in the killings of civilians. They say they followed the orders of Azatbek Omurbekov, the brigade commander.

One of the interviewees stated that the Russian soldiers shot from 3 to 4 cars with civilians after receiving an order.

Apart from that, in Andriivka, the command didn’t just order to kill civilians, it was also actively looting the civilians’ houses. Viacheslav Klobukov, deputy commander of the rear, stole a dinner set "so that the command eats from nice dishes", not to mention fridges, laptops and even tables and chairs stolen from civilians.

Moreover, the command of the brigade was reporting the higher command distorted information about advances on the front.

During the attacks, the commanders made soldiers pose for photo reports in front of the combat vehicles.

Background: On 15 August, reporters of Vazhnie Istorii found out the names of the Russian occupiers responsible for atrocities in the Andriivka village in the Kyiv region. One of them confessed to have committed the crimes. 

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