Russian soldiers caught drinking or violating commands are being forced into "punishment squads" stationed on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, Reuters reported Tuesday.
After interviewing 13 anonymous sources, the outlet found that at least five battalions full of the noncompliant troops were central to repelling the Ukrainian counteroffensive this summer.
"Storm fighters ... [are] just meat," one solider deployed near Bakhmut earlier this year said, referring to them by their unit nickname – "Storm-Z."
"If the commandants catch anyone with the smell of alcohol on their breath, then they immediately send them to the Storm squads," he added.
The soldier also said he violated orders from a commander not to give medical treatment to a group of wounded Storm fighters. When it happened, he was confused, but he now thinks it is because they are seen as less valuable.
Storm squads typically comprise around 100-150 fighters and are embedded within regular army units, according to the probe. Some of the members are unruly soldiers, and others are mercenaries fighting to earn a pardon.
While the Kremlin has never acknowledged the existence of the units, the Institute for the Study of War cited in April a supposed leaked Russian military report on the formation of the squads.
Russian state-controlled media has also reported on the existence of the squads.
"The Storm fighters are just sent to the most dangerous parts of the front, in defense and in attack," said the Conflict Intelligence Team, an independent organization from Russia tracking the war.
Reuters could not determine how many soldiers are serving in the units.
Ukrainian official Serhiy Cherevaty told The Telegraph in June that there were over 170,000 Storm fighters in their "operational zone" at the time, many of whom were waiting to be deployed to Kharkiv.
Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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