The Crushing Weight of Despair: Desertion and Brutality in Russia’s Armed Forces
A disturbing trend is emerging from the conflict in Ukraine: a massive surge in desertion within the Russian army, coupled with reports of systemic brutality towards those who attempt to avoid combat. While official figures are likely suppressed, intelligence from British and French sources suggests the scale of the problem is immense, potentially reaching 100,000 cases last year alone.
A History of Repression: From Tsarist Russia to the Present Day
The apply of violence and intimidation against Russian soldiers isn’t a recent phenomenon. Historically, the Russian military has a deeply ingrained culture of harsh discipline. During the Tsarist era, soldiers were treated as expendable, subject to physical punishment by officers and even non-commissioned officers with little consequence. This pattern continued through the Bolshevik period and into the Soviet era.
During the Russian Civil War following the 1917 revolution, Bolsheviks established formations designed to enforce obedience and eliminate dissent. Leon Trotsky authorized the deployment of these units behind Red Army regiments in 1918. Refusal to participate in attacks was often treated as treason, punishable by immediate execution on the battlefield.
The brutality resurfaced during World War II with Stalin’s Order No. 227, issued on July 28, 1942. This order reintroduced a widespread system of repression, establishing penal battalions and blocking detachments tasked with preventing unauthorized retreats and desertion – sometimes through the killing of soldiers deemed cowards.
Despite formal changes to the structure of the Soviet and later Russian armies, these deeply rooted cultural and institutional patterns of violence towards its own soldiers persist, resurfacing in contemporary conflicts.
“Zeroing”: A Modern Manifestation of Brutality
Recent investigations by the independent Russian portal Vyorstka have revealed a disturbing practice known in military slang as “zeroing.” From the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 to mid-2025, the Military Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation received nearly 29,000 complaints from soldiers and their families alleging abuse and violence from commanders.
This documentation identified over 100 officers accused of torturing subordinates, sending them into combat without adequate equipment or protection, and even murder – all as punishment for refusing orders. Accounts from soldiers detail horrific treatment, including being beaten with heads slammed against concrete, and being left in improvised pits without food or water, continuing to be beaten until incapacitated.
Other reports describe soldiers being sent to the front lines without body armor, ammunition, or artillery support for refusing to comply. In some cases, commanders allegedly demanded a portion of soldiers’ compensation for injuries, resorting to violence when refused. One mother recounted her son being beaten to death by his comrades on the orders of his superiors after refusing to pay a bribe.
A recent video circulating in Russian social media showed soldiers torturing a colleague tied to a tree, receiving little reaction from online audiences.
The Rise in Desertion and its Consequences
The British Ministry of Defence has reported a significant increase in desertions, with courts sentencing a record number of soldiers in March 2024. In March 2024 alone, 684 soldiers were convicted of desertion. Since the start of the invasion, over 7,400 soldiers have been convicted and compelled to return to the front indefinitely.
Those caught deserting often face immediate transfer to “punishment battalions” – units deployed to the most dangerous sectors of the front line with little chance of survival. Others are held in makeshift detention facilities, described as primitive holes in the ground or cages.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
The escalating levels of desertion and brutality within the Russian army raise serious questions about its long-term viability. The reliance on poorly trained replacements to offset losses, coupled with the systemic abuse of soldiers, creates a vicious cycle of low morale, decreased effectiveness, and further desertion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many Russian soldiers have deserted?
A: While official numbers are suppressed, estimates suggest potentially 100,000 cases in the past year, with over 7,400 soldiers convicted since the start of the invasion.
Q: What punishments do Russian soldiers face for desertion?
A: Soldiers convicted of desertion are often sentenced to indefinite military service and transferred to “punishment battalions” on the front lines, or held in brutal detention conditions.
Q: Is this brutality a modern development?
A: No, the use of violence and intimidation against Russian soldiers has deep historical roots, dating back to the Tsarist era.
Q: What is “zeroing”?
A: “Zeroing” is a term used within the Russian military to describe the practice of commanders abusing and torturing their subordinates.
Pro Tip: The combination of low morale, poor training, and brutal discipline creates a highly unstable and ineffective fighting force.
Did you know? The practices employed by the Russian military echo tactics used during both World War II and the Russian Civil War.
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