Vladimir Putin frontline shambles as deserters ‘gun down’ official

 

Russian Troops Flee Frontline, Kill Own Officers in Chaos

Reports from the Russian-occupied Luhansk region suggest that a group of Russian deserters has turned on its own, allegedly killing a military police platoon commander and two of his subordinates before fleeing. The violent incident reportedly occurred near the village of Nyzhnia Duvanka in Ukraine, within internationally recognized Ukrainian territory.

Graphic images from the scene show the bodies of the three slain officers. Although the Russian government has not officially responded to the alleged killings, efforts are said to be underway to capture the deserters. The incident highlights growing unrest within Russian ranks, as increasing numbers of soldiers refuse to serve on what many describe as Vladimir Putin’s "meat grinder" frontline.

This isn’t the first time Russian troops have turned their weapons on each other. In June 2023, leaked drone footage broadcast by the Ukrainian volunteer-run channel Ishi Svoikh showed three armed Russian soldiers executing at least seven of their comrades who were trying to escape the battlefield.

Desertion has plagued the Russian military since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. Many soldiers have reportedly gone into hiding while on leave to avoid being sent back to the front. In 2024, Russian authorities circulated a flyer highlighting disciplinary action taken against members of the 1195th Motorized Rifle Regiment: 115 soldiers were charged under Article 337 of the Russian Criminal Code for "unauthorized abandonment of a unit," a crime carrying up to ten years in prison.

Further compounding the issue, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reported in May 2024 that more than 18,000 Russian troops had deserted from the Southern Military District. Of those, around 12,000 were serving in the 8th Combined Arms Army—a key unit regularly deployed in eastern Ukraine.