Russian soldiers say commanders used 'barrier troops' to stop them retreating

[TeamProg]

[link:https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/27/russian-soldiers-commanders-used-barrier-troops-stop-retreating|




Members of a recently formed Russian assault unit say their commanders deployed troops to stop them from retreating and threatened them with death after they suffered “huge” losses in eastern Ukraine.

In a video addressed to President Vladimir Putin, a group of about two dozen men in military uniform say they are the remnants of Storm, a unit under the defence ministry.

“We sat under open mortar fire and artillery for 14 days,” Alexander Gorin, a Russian soldier, is heard saying in the appeal, which first appeared on Friday on Russian Telegram channels. “We took huge losses. Thirty-four people were injured and 22 died, including our commander.”

Another soldier said the unit initially comprised 161 men at the start of the operations.

Gorin said his men made the decision to head back to the Russian army headquarters but were denied evacuation by their superiors: “They placed barrier troops behind us and weren’t letting us leave our position … They are threatening to destroy us one by one and as a unit. They want to execute us as witnesses of a completely negligent criminal leadership.”


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Wow, not unlike other stories from Russian soldiers.

Putin is losing in Ukraine AND Russia.

[Irish_Dem]

1. Russia did this in WWII. Shot retreating soldiers.

It was not thought to be an effective military strategy however.
Some reports indicate the barrier troops did more of a "catch and release"
steering troops back to their units.

Also I assume some of the barrier troops may have been shot by those retreating.

[Grins]

3. They did worse.

Left post, deserted, refused duty, etc., they would be put into brutal penal companies, then marched to the front by men armed with guns and bayonets. Without any weapons forced into the front of the battle and only at the last minutes given weapons to fight and advance.

IF… they survived the day, back into the penal company until the next offensive. Until they were all dead.

[Irish_Dem]

4. The Russian military has always been proud of sadistic cruelty to the troops.

So yes on your points.
Worse than we can even imagine.

[MarineCombatEngineer]

2. In WWII

the MVD, the Soviet Union's secret police, executed anyone retreating from the Germans, seems they've taken a page from that.

Fucking barbarians.

[Wonder Why]

5. Worse, some soldiers were sent into combat without weapons because of a shortage

and told to pick up a weapon from a fallen comrade. With no weapons, no wonder they retreated.

[Stuart G]

6. Last sentence, direct quote: "Putin is losing in Ukraine AND Russia."

Putin's Viet Nam. "Putin hasn't got a clue"...says Stu.