Russia Reportedly Establishes Camp for Injured and Penalized Soldiers to Be Sent to War

In Russia’s Kemerovo region, a camp has reportedly been established to house injured soldiers and penalized personnel, including deserters, who are subsequently sent back to the front lines.

According to a report by ASTRA, which cites four Russian servicemen currently at the facility, the camp is located in the town of Yurga and operates on the premises of the 74th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade.

The camp is said to include a so-called ‘penal battalion,’ composed of individuals who sustained injuries or illnesses without receiving medical clearance, as well as those transferred after conflicts with previous commanders or those who left their units without authorization.

“There are people missing fingers, elderly men who are disoriented, and some on crutches,” one of the soldiers reportedly told ASTRA.

The servicemen claim that conditions in the camp are severe. Soldiers are allegedly prohibited from leaving the facility or using personal phones. Violations or requests for better treatment reportedly result in physical punishment.

Last week, military police allegedly assaulted a young soldier, with five officers involved in the incident, according to one account. Another serviceman claimed that detainees are often handcuffed during physical punishment.

In one instance, ASTRA reported that soldiers were confined to overcrowded rooms, with 30 individuals allegedly kept in a 10-square-meter space. Access to sanitation facilities is described as extremely limited, with detainees allowed to use restrooms only once a day or, in some cases, not at all.

Military equipment has reportedly been loaded onto trains, with another group of soldiers scheduled for deployment in the coming days. The soldiers claim they are transported under strict supervision and required to fund the insulation of train cars themselves.

“We are being transported under convoy, like cattle. Some were already sent in November, with the first group deployed to Kursk. Some of them have since been killed,” one serviceman shared.

The report also mentions the death of a soldier on a training ground, despite having documentation that reportedly indicated a need for hospitalization. According to a serviceman, the soldier suffered a seizure during reconnaissance training, leading to cardiac arrest.

Military police reportedly visited the home of one detainee, who has been held at the camp since the autumn, seeking him for unauthorized absence from his previous unit.

Meanwhile, ASTRA quotes the wife of one of the soldiers as stating that new personal files are being prepared for the detainees, but the documents are not issued to the soldiers, reportedly to prevent escape attempts.

Earlier, video footage shared by Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation revealed Russian soldiers on crutches being deployed near Novotroitske in the Donetsk region. The soldiers, reportedly used to provoke defensive fire or carry out expendable tasks, were detected and neutralized by Ukrainian drones.