Russia has preparing to force at least 500 conscripts who have so far refused to fight into battle, according to a Ukraine-aligned news agency.
In a post on the Telegram instant messaging app, Astra said: “Several hundred refuseniks from St. Petersburg were forcibly put on a plane and taken to Kursk. The soldiers have already been issued with assault rifles and are about to be sent into battle.
“The day before, at least 500 people were taken from the military village of Kamenka near St. Petersburg, where the 138th separate motorised rifle brigade is based and where several hundred men who refused to fight were kept. Their relatives told ASTRA about this.”
At the same time, some of the “refuseniks” had already been prosecuted for desertion, they were under investigation, and some were still waiting for a military commission, Astra claimed.
It added: “Among those under arrest are men with health, physical and mental problems: ‘They took a man with category “D”, plus a man [just] under the age of 70 who can barely walk, another man without an eye…’.”
Relatives claimed the men were yesterday put in trucks taken to the military airfield under guard.
The first “party” of roughly 300 people was sent in “an unknown direction”, reported Astra.
The second group, consisting of about 150 people ended up at a military training ground four miles from Kursk by the following morning.
One of their wives “They took it, grabbed it like a parcel, put it on the ground and took it away,” their wives and mothers say.
We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.
For the latest news and breaking news visit: /news
Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.
Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/DailyExpress and @daily_express
