Russian soldiers have exposed the brutality of conditions on the Russian side of the front lines in Ukraine, with two men telling the BBC they saw soldiers being executed on the spot for refusing orders.
The men, who are on the run, spoke about the horror they witnessed from an undisclosed location outside Russia in the documentary, “The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War”.
Ilya, 35, taught children with special needs before he was drafted into the army for the war. He says he saw four people being shot at point-blank range by a commander – an act known as Zeroing in Russian military slang – because they had fled the front line and refused to return.
Zeroing is usually carried out as punishment for refusing orders, and acts as a means of intimidation for others who may be thinking of doing the same, the men told us.
Another man, Dima, who also witnessed the executions, said commanders killing their own men was “a normal thing”.
“I see it – just two metres, three metres. Just murders, just click, clack, bang. It’s not a drama, it’s not a movie, it’s a real life,” he says.
The Russian government says its armed forces “operate with utmost restraint, as far as possible under the conditions of a high-intensity conflict, treating their personnel with maximum care”. “Information regarding alleged violations and crimes is duly investigated,” it added.“We are unable to independently verify the accuracy or authenticity of the information you have provided,” it said.
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The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War available on iPlayer now and BBC2 at 9pm tonight.
