Russian commanders are executing their own troops for refusing suicidal assaults in Ukraine, according to shocking testimonies from four soldiers who fled the front lines. In a BBC documentary, the men detailed brutal killings, torture, and « meat storm » tactics that have decimated units, exposing a breakdown of discipline in Vladimir Putin‘s forces.
One soldier, Dima, a former dishwasher repairman from Moscow, recounted witnessing his commander shoot four comrades at point-blank range. Dima said: « I see it – just two metres, three metres… click, clack, bang. » Dima’s commander, Alexei Ksenofontov, was honoured as a « Hero of Russia » in 2024, despite families denouncing him as a « butcher » in a letter to Putin, alleging he oversaw thousands of deaths.
Another witness, Ilya, a former teacher from the Ural Mountains, said he saw four soldiers gunned down for fleeing the front. Ilya said: « The saddest thing is that I knew them. I remember one of them screaming ‘Don’t shoot, I’ll do anything!' » Ilya, tasked with counting the dead, claimed he was the sole survivor of 79 mobilised men.
He described « zeroing » – Russian slang for executing one’s own – as routine punishment. Ilya added: « Your fate depended on your commander. The commander is on the radio: ‘Zero this one, zero that one.' »
Dima also revealed discovering 20 bodies in a pit, freshly arrived ex-convicts whose bank cards were allegedly stolen by commanders before they were shot. Dima said: « Twenty lads were brought to us. They just took their bank cards and killed them. It’s not a problem to write off someone. You just make up a report. »
The soldiers painted a grim picture of « meat storms, » where waves of troops are hurled at Ukrainian positions to exhaust their defences, regardless of casualties. Dima explained: « You send three guys, then another three. It didn’t work out, send 10. It didn’t work out with 10, send 50. We had 200 dead in three days. » UK Ministry of Defence estimates suggest 900-1,500 Russians are killed or wounded daily in 2025, with over 1.2 million total casualties since the 2022 invasion.
Refusal brought savage reprisals. Ilya said he was tied to a tree, beaten, and urinated on after defying orders, leading him to attempt suicide. Denis, another soldier, showed footage of a deserter being humiliated similarly, claiming such acts are « the norm » and go unpunished. Dima endured 72 days of electric shock torture in a makeshift prison for refusing to order a storm.
A senior staff officer, unnamed for safety, corroborated the chaos, recalling a « liquidation squad » finishing off high-ranking officers.
The men, interviewed outside Russia, expressed despair. Dima said: « I’m a criminal, and nobody cares – my crime is just I don’t want to kill. » Ilya lamented: « They can break anyone there… They almost broke me, but not completely. »
Moscow dismissed the claims, insisting its forces operate with « utmost restraint » and investigate violations. The BBC could not independently verify the accounts, but they align with reports of front-line anarchy.
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