Russian contract soldiers seeking to stop fighting in Ukraine faced intimidation, threats and reported detention in facilities in occupied Ukrainian territory, according to an investigation published by Novaya Gazeta Europe on August 12, 2022.
The report drew on interviews with soldiers, relatives, lawyers and rights advocates. Accounts described rejected requests to terminate contracts, confiscated documents and threats of transfer to the front or detention facilities. Some soldiers reportedly returned home, while the whereabouts or status of others remained unclear.
Rights advocates described alleged holding sites in occupied parts of Luhansk region where troops were pressured to resume service. The article noted the lack of official acknowledgement and access for lawyers, leaving important details difficult to verify.
The investigation linked the pressure on existing personnel to recruitment difficulties and covert efforts to attract volunteers across Russian regions. These were reported accounts and advocates' assessments, not a verified inventory of all facilities or a count of every soldier refusing service.
Read more at Novaya Gazeta Europe.
