The first testimonials from soldiers who were forcibly conscripted into the Russian army are edifying.
While it is difficult to say how many of the 300,000 mobilized reservists have joined the Ukrainian front, they are gradually arriving in the combat zones, but without training or proper equipment.
The first testimonies of those mobilized by a decree signed by Vladimir Putin will inevitably agree with those fleeing the country in the tens of thousands. They would therefore be 260,000 who have already left the country.
These reservists regret being sent into combat without training or supplies against an experienced Ukrainian army that has already routed the Russian army on numerous occasions.
It is therefore a mess for these soldiers who are dropped near combat zones with nothing but assault rifles and bulletproof vests. Russian recruits also claim in videos cursing their generals that they were given neither food nor water before being sent to the front.
“We had no training”
And to confirm this information there is the video of this soldier sent near Kherson where he will fight from this Thursday December 29th. “Hello everyone, this is the 1st Panzer Regiment. We have just been officially informed that we will not receive any training before we are sent to the front,” he explains in the courtyard of his barracks. Our senior officers tell us it has been confirmed. In September 29, we will be sent to Kherson,” he begins. He still insists: “There was no shooting practice, no theory, nothing.”
Surprise surprise. A new Russian conscript says they will go to the front near Kherson in two days without receiving any training pic.twitter.com/BKQPouK6ZX
— Tadeusz Giczan (@TadeuszGiczan) September 27, 2022
Translated and authenticated by Mark Krutov, a journalist with Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, this video is not the only one to show the unpreparedness of the new Russian soldiers.
So, according to some, Russian officers asked recruits to get their own medical supplies, including swabs to dress gunshot wounds.
“Ask your moms, wives or daughters about sanitary napkins”
A video by the Belarusian news channel Nexta shows a soldier explaining to recently mobilized reservists that she has nothing to distribute apart from uniforms and ammunition. As for first aid, “it’s up to you guys.” Sleeping bags, medicine, tourniquets… Reservists had to buy everything they needed at the front…including bandages. “Don’t laugh, but ask your mother, your wife or your daughters for sanitary napkins. You will all need them. I know it from my comrades at the front,” says this Russian army officer.
Incredible video. A Russian officer tells newly mobilized men that they must obtain their own sleeping bags and medicine packs. Tell them to buy tampons from pharmacies to use as bandages.
“The only uniform the army gives you is armor. That’s it.”pic.twitter.com/zwttL586zu— Patrick Reevell (@Reevellp) September 27, 2022
One of the most popular images of the past few hours is also that of this Russian prisoner of war who claims to have been mobilized on September 21 and captured in Ukraine less than a week later.
Not enough to rouse enthusiasm and flatter the patriotism of these called-up reservists. They should even swell the ranks of those who choose to flee rather than mobilize.