Have Russian soldiers been cast aside?

This saga has been played out in the last few weeks. But I would like to dig a little deeper into motivation and possible outcomes. Two Russian special forces soldiers were captured in the eastern Ukraine. They have been cast adrift by their government. The penalty for their actions can legally be execution as spies.

This really makes me wonder what the Ukrainian government is going to do? Will these two men remain alive as evidence? Or will they be taken out and shot under the Geneva Convention?

I worry about their fate. Because the most politically effective statement that the Ukraine could make is executing them. This would show other Russian soldiers fighting in the Ukraine that the Russian government will not stand behind them. In my opinion that would be a morale blow to Russian soldiers currently fighting in the Ukraine.

Don't get me wrong. Their deaths is not the outcome I would prefer. My preference in the matter would be that Russia comes clean. The minute Vlad admits what he's doing is the second the world will be able to help stop the death and destruction.

Let's hope it doesn't come to a execution. But when soldiers are deserted by their country they can easily become Pawns in the game.

Alexandrov, 28, says he's a Russian soldier who was captured in east Ukraine after being sent there on active duty with Russian special forces to help separatists fighting Kiev. He said he was serving on a three-year contract. "I never tore it up, I wrote no resignation request," he said. "I was carrying out my orders."

Yet Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the face of widespread evidence to the contrary, has repeatedly said there are no Russian soldiers in Ukraine – only volunteers who have gone to help the separatists of their own accord.

So Alexandrov and Yevgeny Yerofeyev, another Russian who was captured with him, find themselves pawns in the deepest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

source


So Mr. Putin, it is time for you to own up just like you did on the Crimea invasion/annexation. Be honest because the whole world knows what you're up to already.

a reply to: Greathouse

Mercy seems to be the key. Shown on this side and not by Putin in many of his acts.
At any rate, they will not be shot but used as propaganda pieces on the chess board of war.

a reply to: Greathouse

Let's hope it doesn't come to a execution. But when soldiers are deserted by their country they can easily become Pawns in the game.

Doubt execution as these two fellas may have something that interests the Ukraine...easier to get info from a living inmate than a dead one.

a reply to: tsurfer2000h

I was throwing an alternate theory in.

Can you imagine how the troops would feel if they knew Putin would desert them and they would be shot as spies? After all every Russian soldier in the Ukraine knows the truth.


I seriously doubt they will be executed either. But if they were it could have some far-reaching implications.

a reply to: Greathouse

What Putin is doing now in Ukraine, claiming there are no Russian troops, hiding the dead Russian soldiers being shipped back (or using mobile crematoriums), and trying to cover up casualties is nothing new. As a matter of fact the same actions occurred when the USSR invaded Afghanistan.

The Soviet government kept lying to the Russian people, once again claiming training accidents killed soldiers etc. Eventually the lies the USSR told their people hit a point of non believability and 10 years later they withdrew from Afghanistan.

The mentality of the soviet Union towards its soldiers is very Stalin'esque. Sadly Putin has the very same mindset towards the soldiers of the Russian Federation. So long as he keeps lying about his involvement in Ukraine the more Russian soldiers who will be killed in training exercises.

What gets me - I don't see why the west doesn't pull a Cuban missile crisis with Russia over Ukraine. What I mean by this is taking all the evidence to a UNSC meeting and calling Russia out. It would also allow Russia to present all of their evidence they claim they have.

a reply to: Greathouse

I don't see them being executed.

Last I saw Ukraine floated the idea of returning both of them to Russia in exchange for Nadiya Savchenko and, according to Ukraine, 400 Ukrainian soldiers Russia apparently is holding.

The other side of that coin though is this - Would these 2 soldiers even want to return to Russia knowing their government wrote them off while also forcing their family members to do the same.

To answer your question -

Yes, Putin is throwing Russian soldiers to the side in order to rebuild the Soviet Union.

a reply to: Greathouse

Russian soldiers taken POW in the Ukraine are in a legal black hole. Putin denials about Russian forces being present in the Ukraine would seem to leave Russian POW without the protection of the Geneva Convention. Equally Ukraine POW have even less protection since they are not recongised by the Russian government. This is an important issue the MSM has failed to pick up on .

Kiwi's and Australians have largely forgotten how large numbers of Axis POW were housed in this part of the world during WW2. A few of them who were housed in Australia , never went home. When the next world war is underway Australia and New Zealand will once again house POW.

If Ukraine executed ANY prisoners they would be on their own, NATO, EU et al doesnt go in for that sh1t, we dont do it.

I am sure that many poor Russians are told up front, this is lucrative, but deniable, take the risk.

They are not stupid, much, the Russians, they are not daft. You dont tell soldiers on "deniable" operations they are not "deniable" or else they sing like fecking choirs when they get caught. You tell them they are deniable and to dream up whatever story they want to avoid the death penalty. Then you deny whatever they dream up.

Ffs - have none of you done CRW 1.0??

originally posted by: Forensick
If Ukraine executed ANY prisoners they would be on their own, NATO, EU et al doesnt go in for that sh1t, we dont do it.

Official Ukraine Army units probably wouldn't unless it was in retaliation for like minded actions. Some of the privately funded battalions, well I wouldn't put war crimes past them.

I am sure that many poor Russians are told up front, this is lucrative, but deniable, take the risk.

Now that sounds more like Hollywood then real life.

Ukraine has captured other Russian soldiers and traded them back to "the rebels" for high numbers of their guys. Russia will stick the, they are not the military anymore or they just got lost stories they have been pushing. The sad part is for the ones killed. Families lied to. No bodies. No thank you. And to make things even worse it seems most of these guys did not even know they were being sent to Ukraine until they ended up there. The Russian people just can not seem to get a break.

It's a conundrum for sure. For all parties involved.

Russia - They have lost face either way. Their guys have been caught playing dirty. They can either continue to deny it or they can say "yep, they are ours, what now". I see Putin going with option A for as long as possible.

Ukraine - Executing them in one way to hit Russian morale. "Turning" these guys is another. They were dumped by Russia and they have already broken the "golden rule" so getting them to change sides isn't that much of a stretch. Having them do broadcasts or God forbid lead troops would be an even bigger blow to morale than killing them.

The soldiers - I am sure the want to go home to their families. When you "pull patches" you become nobody and nothing. You know that there is no cavalry coming and you know you have no country. They broke that one law. Even if they are released they will be pariahs for the rest of their short lives. I doubt they'll even get to see their families if they are released.

"Always keep a round in your pockets boys".