Russia marines are claiming "incompetent" generals are treating them as "cannon fodder."
Their comments came in a letter to their regional governor in which they claimed 300 Russian marines were killed or wounded during four days of fighting in eastern Ukraine, according to the Daily Mail.
The marines from Russia's 155th Naval Infantry said the heavy toll was a result of catastrophic planning by the commanders.
In the letter, the soldiers maintained that their commanders were "hiding" the number of dead or wounded suffered by Russian marines in the Donetsk region and "playing down the number of losses for fear of being held responsible," the news outlet said.
The marines demanded in their letter that Russian President Vladimir Putin be personally told of the alleged massacre and that an independent military commission be established to look into the assault.
According to the NBC News, pro-Russian military bloggers and Telegram channels said the letter was unsigned. NBC News has not been able to independently verify the letter.
"They don't care about anything other than to show off themselves. They call people meat," said the letter, which was addressed to Oleg Kozhemyako, the governor of Primorsky Krai, a Russian region.
The letter alleged that the Marines' unit was ordered to take Pavlovka, but half the unit's equipment was destroyed in the battle, and that 300 Russian marines were killed or wounded.
NBC News reported that Russian officials on Monday denied the allegations that the marine unit had sustained catastrophic losses during an "incomprehensible" assault.
Kozhemyako responded to the letter by writing: "We have contacted the commanders. Yes, there are losses. There are heavy battles going on. But the losses are not as big as they say in this appeal."
Russia's Ministry of Defense said, in response to the letter, that the division had not suffered "significant losses."
Meanwhile, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said Putin has recently signed a law allowing the "military mobilization" of Russians who have committed serious crimes.
In other words, the Kremlin now has the authority to pluck convicted murderers and other violent criminals out of prisons, and subsequently place them into battle positions against Ukrainian troops.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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