 "Medical workers treat a wounded resident at the site of residential buildings heavily damaged during a Russian missile attack in Kharkiv in January 2024. Source: Reuters")
Russia might be deploying its wounded soldiers on the frontlines, some even on crutches, as it faces serious manpower issues, CNN has reported, citing some frontline footage.
The videos, some captured by Ukrainian drones and others posted by Russian soldiers, show people with leg injuries and fresh wounds, deployed in combat zones.
The report quotes one Western official as saying, “The Russians are recycling the wounded back into the fight.” The official added it was a sign that Russian authorities were pushing for a wider, general mobilisation, forcing some wounded troops to flee the country.
What do the videos reveal?
One video from January, shot by a Ukrainian drone, shows a Russian soldier using crutches under each other to attempt to reach safety as he senses his life is at risk. Soon, the drone drops a mortar round near him.
Another video, apparently recorded by a Russian soldier, shows a wounded man saying, “What the hell are you doing with me, why? I had surgery yesterday, damn it!”
“I… am addressing all residents of Russia and I want to show everyone what is happening to one of our worthy soldiers in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,” he added. In the video, he shows he had a wounded leg. Holding up his injured hand, he says, “I don’t have a finger; they also sewed it up yesterday. I can only move using crutches.”
Another video, posted by Russian war bloggers, shows Russia’s 20th Army Unit in a forest. The man recording the video says, “This is how we’re going on a combat mission. This is so f**king completely f**ked up!”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe man adds, “Now they’ll also give them machine guns and body armour and send them off! How is this even f**king happening?”
Such deployment began ‘six months’ ago
According to a Ukrainian defence intelligence official, quoted by CNN, they have been spotting wounded soldiers on the frontlines for six months now. The report says some wounded soldiers have already fled Russia upon hearing that the authorities are sending wounded troops back to the frontlines.
“I’ve been in the hospital for a month,” said one such soldier, “and they don’t extract the shrapnel for anyone. They just put on some ointment and that’s it. When the wound heals slightly, they discharge you.”
(With inputs from agencies)