Responding to Russian “panic letters”.

For nearly ten months now, Russian men have been forced to take part in President Vladimir Putin’s bloody war in Ukraine.

But discontent on the front lines has gradually grown, and in recent months a number of Russian soldiers have refused to fight in Ukraine. At the end of September, the Russian Duma decided so Tougher penalties for soldiers Those who do not follow orders, desert or surrender to the enemy.

Now there are indications that Russia is taking more measures to ensure better discipline among the Russian soldiers in the neighboring country.

SMS alert

To discourage future desertions, Russian forces in Luhansk are now reported to have sent an SMS to all subscribers warning that they will be punished if they abandon their military duties. It is written by many media, incl aftonbladet.

Russia has long had a problem with deserters, notes former Lieutenant-General Arne Bård Dalhaug, but responds to reports of warnings via SMS.

– I think it is strange that warnings are sent to soldiers via SMS, whether the soldiers are at war or not. Cell phones are a security risk that can be traced and exploited, he told Dagbladet and noted that Russia’s operational security had been weak throughout the war.

continued:

– If it is true that SMS warnings are now being sent, then this is an indirect confirmation of low morale among Russian soldiers. The Russian leadership would not have strengthened the legislation and issued such warnings had there not been a tangible problem.

The information has not been confirmed from official sources.

The commander was executed

The short message is said to have been sent shortly after the execution of the commander of Russian forces in the Luhansk region, 43-year-old Viktor Sevalnev.

Human rights organization Gulagu.net claims that Sevalnev was killed because the soldiers in his company decided so.

Today it is me, tomorrow it is different. We have lethal materials. The Ministry of Defense shoots people. Don’t send more people here, that’s enough for now. They want to kill everyone, he is said to have said in a phone conversation with his wife shortly before his death, according to the Russian Independent online newspaper. Insider.

However, the Kremlin denied the allegations of execution.