Lost Lives and Broken Promises: The Human Cost of Russia's Military Expansion

One soldier was shot twice during combat and sent back to the front after receiving treatment at the hospital. In order to survive, he resorted to drinking melted snow. He was repeatedly forced to assault Ukrainian positions until a grenade attack left him blinded. Thankfully, a doctor saved him from the trenches and assigned him as a hospital orderly.

Another soldier was imprisoned at the age of 20 for minor drug charges and later sent to the front lines when he turned 23. Due to insufficient training, he tragically died just three weeks after deployment, along with approximately 60 other Russians during an assault on a day celebrated by Russian President Vladimir Putin for defeating the Nazis.

These two stories illustrate the grim and exhausting loss of life in Russia's trenches. The deceased soldiers were actually prisoners who were promised relief from their jail terms if they joined the Storm-Z battalions run by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Conditions in these units were harsh, and the convicts were used as cannon fodder.

Life expectancy was short, and the testimonies from survivors shed light on the dire conditions. One survivor, Sergei, recounted the horrors he endured, including multiple injuries and the loss of colleagues during assaults. The casualty rates were shocking, with only a fraction of the original unit surviving, and discipline was maintained through brutal means like executions.

The story also highlights the tragic fate of Andrei, who was sent to the front at a young age. He didn't survive the assault, and his mother, Yulia, expressed her anguish and fear for him. These convicts were deployed with little regard for their lives, and their sacrifices were not properly acknowledged, with families often receiving no information or belongings after their deaths.

In conclusion, these stories offer a glimpse into the grim reality of Russia's war efforts and the deplorable treatment of prisoners sent to the front lines. The toll on human lives, both physically and mentally, is a tragic consequence of this conflict.