A Russian soldier is said to have killed his injured comrade instead of helping him. Cases like this are becoming more frequent in Russia’s army.
Recent drone footage showing the execution of a wounded Russian soldier by a fellow soldier highlights the brutal culture that is widespread in the Russian armed forces. The footage documents a soldier injured by a drone strike and, instead of helping him, executes his colleague at close range.
The Russian neither examines his injury nor treats him or takes the dog tags. This is a procedure that would be standard when members of the troops are injured. The targeted killing of a comrade is unprofessional and shows a callous disregard for the lives of one’s own soldiers, judges the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
However, it is probably not an isolated case. The ISW has observed similar incidents, known as “fragging” – the deliberate killing of superiors. They show that during the war so far, both within Russia and among Russian troops on the battlefield, there has been a “low value of human life”.
According to the experts, fragging indicates “extremely poor discipline” among the troops, as well as a lack of connection between commanders and their subordinates. It also reveals a blatant disregard for human life.
A Russian military blogger reported on June 22 that commanders of various units of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) are severely mistreating their wounded subordinates. He said that the 1st Slavic Brigade of the DNR (1st DNR Army Corps) is keeping its own wounded in prison-like conditions in Donetsk City instead of providing them with the necessary treatment.
