Russian Commanders Hide War Deaths by Calling the Dead “Deserters”, Partisans Reveal

Russian military leaders are allegedly masking their real casualty figures near Pokrovsk by classifying fallen soldiers as deserters, the ATESH partisan movement reported on December 8.

According to ATESH, agents operating inside Russia’s 30th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade have observed a consistent pattern: after suffering heavy losses, commanders intentionally record the dead as “those who voluntarily left their unit.” This allows them to obscure the actual number of soldiers killed and avoid confrontations with families.

Separate lists have reportedly been created within the brigade, containing hundreds of names—soldiers who were killed but are now being labeled as runaways. Troops are even told openly that “absence without official leave (AWOL) is easier than explaining to the family where the body is”.

ATESH says this approach is being used both for troops who disappeared during chaotic assaults on the city and for those “eliminated” by Russian blocking units.

The number of falsified AWOL cases has risen sharply over the past year, according to the partisan movement.

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ATESH warns that this practice is eroding any remaining trust among soldiers, who now understand that they can be labeled as deserters at any moment—even if they were killed in action.

“As a result, fear, anger, and plummeting morale are spreading through the ranks. Discipline is breaking down, confidence in command has collapsed, and the brigade’s combat effectiveness continues to deteriorate with every new assault,” the statement read.

Earlier, Russian troops in occupied Donetsk began using civilian taxi services to move wounded soldiers away from frontline areas, after commanders prohibited the use of private cars and humanitarian transport for medical evacuation.

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