In a shocking revelation, two Russian soldiers who have fled their country described the dire conditions faced by troops on the Ukrainian front lines, including instances of executions. The men, currently in hiding, shared their experiences in a BBC documentary titled The Zero Line: Inside Russia's War.
One of the soldiers, Ilya, aged 35 and a former special needs teacher, recounted witnessing four soldiers executed at point-blank range by a commander. This act, referred to as 'Zeroing' in Russian military terminology, is used as punishment for desertion and as a deterrent to enforce orders, the soldiers explained.
Dima, another soldier who witnessed these incidents, described such executions by commanders as routine. He remarked, “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.”
The Russian government has responded by stating that its armed forces strive to operate with restraint and investigate any reported violations. However, they stressed the challenge of independently verifying the allegations presented by the two soldiers.
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