Support The Moscow Times!

12 Chechen Soldiers Dismissed for Refusing Syria Deployment

Kto Tut / YouTube

Twelve Chechen soldiers serving in Russian Defense Ministry units at a base in Khankala, east of Grozny, have been dismissed for refusing to deploy to Syria, the local news portal Caucasian Knot has reported.

According to Caucasian Knot, a unit of 500 troops was to be deployed to Syria to serve as military police. The 12 men who refused to deploy were all residents of Chechnya. As a result, their military contracts were ended prematurely. 

 Caucasian Knot reported that the unit included Chechens, residents of the neighboring republic Dagestan, as well as Russians. 

 Last week, a video taken by one of the soldiers showed his unit preparing for the upcoming deployment to Syria. 

On Tuesday, the news agency Rosbalt reported that a criminal case had been initiated against five of the unit’s personnel, including one officer.

The charges accuse that the unit’s command of failing to properly brief their subordinates. As a result, one member made the video and distributed it across social networks.

According to the court, the video “endangered the lives of the troops, by betraying information about their movements.”

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more