Russian commanders ‘forcing troops refusing to go into battle to fight to death’

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1. Horrifying footage appears to show a Russian commander forcing two soldiers to fight to the death in a punishment pit after they refused to take part in Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. The unverified clip, allegedly filmed in the occupied Donbas region, lifts the lid on the extreme brutality and lawlessness within the Russian army, where discipline is frequently enforced through fear, humiliation and savage violence.

   The soldiers were ordered by their superior – known by the call sign “Kama” – to engage in what was described as a “Gladiator fight to the death,” with the winner promised release. Officers from the same unit, the 114th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, apparently placed bets on which man would survive. A witness, quoted in Russian Telegram channels that have shared the video, said: “One killed the other in the end, choking him with bare hands.”

   The men involved were described as “refuseniks” – troops who had resisted orders to fight, or who had expressed unwillingness to serve on the front lines.

   The practice of throwing such soldiers into so-called punishment pits or “zindans” is reportedly becoming increasingly common, especially within brigades suffering heavy casualties in the Donetsk region.

2. Good, let them off each other. Or get so fed up they turn on their commanders.

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