US says Russia is executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders

Russian servicemen detained in Ukraine attend a briefing entitled 鈥淭reatment of captured Russian soldiers in Ukraine鈥� in Kyiv, on August 18, 2023. The US on Thursday said it has information that Russia is executing frontline soldiers who refuse to follow orders. (AFP)
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  • White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters the Russian military was using 鈥渉uman wave tactics鈥� by throwing groups of poorly trained soldiers into the fight, on pain of execution

WASHINGTON: The United States has information that the Russian military is executing soldiers who do not follow orders related to the war with Ukraine, the White House said on Thursday.
鈥淲e have information that the Russian military has been actually executing soldiers who refuse to follow orders,鈥� White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
鈥淲e also have information that Russian commanders are threatening to execute entire units if they seek to retreat from Ukrainian artillery fire,鈥� Kirby said.
Representatives from the Kremlin, the Russian defense ministry, and the Russian embassy to the United States did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the issue.
Russia鈥檚 ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, in a comment on the Telegram messaging app, made no reference to the White House allegations.
But referring to the latest military aid package to Ukraine of $150 million, Antonov branded the US move as 鈥減rovocative and inflammatory actions in the international arena that look more like pouring oil on the fire鈥� than trying to ease conflict. 鈥淚t is long past time to halt the mindless multi-billion dollar flow to the bankrupt Kyiv regime,鈥� Antonov wrote on Telegram. 鈥淭ime to stop showing total disdain toward the opinions of your own citizens and indifference to the growing number of victims dying from American weaponry.鈥�
Ukrainian officials said on Wednesday that Russian forces were disregarding heavy losses and pressing on with a drive to capture the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka.
The United States has strongly condemned Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine and has been providing significant aid to Kyiv.
Kirby said Russia鈥檚 mobilized forces were undertrained, underequipped, and unprepared for combat. He said the military was using 鈥渉uman wave tactics鈥� by throwing groups of poorly trained soldiers into the fight.
Kirby said threats to execute the soldiers was barbaric.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a symptom of ... how poorly Russia鈥檚 military leaders know they鈥檙e doing and how bad they have handled this from a military perspective,鈥� he said.