Russian Military Units Linked to Ukraine Hide Casualty Data

[pampango]

More than a dozen Russian military units linked by media reports to the fighting in eastern Ukraine have refused to disclose their casualty figures for 2013-14, while one that provided the data showed a rise in soldier deaths from zero to six, a news report said Thursday.

The St. Petersburg branch of the Soldiers' Mothers Committee — an organization that defends conscripts' rights — sent requests to military units that soldiers' families and media reports had identified as suffering losses last year, including in eastern Ukraine, the Vedomosti business daily reported Thursday, citing the group's spokesman Alexander Peredruk.

A total of 17 units have responded so far — with all but one with refusing to disclose their casualty data, the report said. The one unit that provided information said it had lost six soldiers since July 2014 compared to no casualties a year earlier, according to Vedomosti. The report did not identify the unit nor specify how many soldiers it comprised.

The military units cited various reasons for their refusal to provide casualty data to the Soldiers' Mothers Committee, from saying the information constituted a state secret, to directing inquiries to higher military command, Vedomosti reported.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/russian-military-units-linked-to-ukraine-hide-casualty-figures-report-says/515802.html

[DetlefK]

1. Have you heard the rumor that US-soldiers and NATO-mercs are fighting in Ukraine?

I heard it here on DU from someone who heard it from someone else somewhere on the internet.

The conclusion: Stop being mean to Russia. Both sides do it.

[SidDithers]

2. Things you won't read in RT...nt

Sid

[Tommy_Carcetti]

3. The Moscow Times is refreshingly independent in terms of Russian media.

How they've survived this long without harassment is somewhat surprising, but it's a fair more accurate assessment of Russian affairs than the state run sources.

[NuclearDem]

4. Or Consortium News.