Executions in Russia: Suspicion against 100 officers

Over 100 Russian commanders are alleged to have blackmailed, tortured, and even shot their own soldiers. A project is collecting eyewitness accounts.

Russian commanders have allegedly tortured and killed their own soldiers since the beginning of the war of aggression against Ukraine . Investigations by the exiled Russian media portal Verstka have revealed that these are apparently not isolated incidents. The reporters have identified 101 officers facing serious allegations.

Verstka's "The Zeros" project, which investigates misconduct in the Russian army, consists of a database containing information about soldiers who "erased" or "nullified" their own comrades. The reports originate from sources such as Telegram, families of missing soldiers, or fellow soldiers.

What initially began as disciplinary action by superiors for disobedience or drunkenness, according to the investigation, later escalated into executions. The underlying cause was often personal conflicts between the soldiers and their superiors, the portal reports. Hundreds of accounts from soldiers have been collected. The alleged perpetrators are said to be officers who were platoon leaders or commanded battalions, and in some cases, divisions. Five of the suspects had received the "Hero of Russia" award. These claims cannot be independently verified. There has been no immediate comment from the Russian side.

The number of victims is unclear. Some soldiers were reportedly sent into attacks as punishment, attacks that meant certain death for many. According to Verstka, soldiers were sent forward in such attacks until an enemy position was captured – regardless of losses. The investigation also revealed that soldiers were forced to hand over their bank cards and reveal their PINs before these attacks.

Harsh treatment of one's own soldiers is not uncommon in the Russian army. In September 2024, a commander of a Chechen unit came under public scrutiny because he was dissatisfied with his soldiers' performance. Major General Apti Alaudinov directly attacked the captured Chechens, saying they "did not deserve to live." According to a report by the US think tank ISW, the Chechen commander continued, calling it a "disgrace" that they had even been captured. Instead, they should have provoked and attacked their Ukrainian captors so they could be shot.