Russian soldiers tell BBC they saw fellow troops executed on commanders’ orders
Russian soldiers tell BBC they saw fellow troops executed on commanders’ orders
The BBC has received firsthand accounts from four Russian soldiers detailing the grim reality of combat in Ukraine, including instances where commanders ordered the execution of their own troops for refusing orders. These testimonies, shared with the BBC, reveal a brutal system of punishment and control on the front lines.
The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War
Men featured in the documentary *The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War* describe how they were subjected to harsh treatment for defying directives. Some recounted being forced into “meat storms” — relentless attacks they deemed almost suicidal — while others spoke of comrades being executed on the spot. The term “zero” is used in Russian military slang to refer to the act of executing soldiers, often as a means of instilling fear.
“I see it — just two metres, three metres… click, clack, bang,”
One soldier described, emphasizing the proximity and finality of the executions. Another from a different unit claimed to have witnessed his commander personally shooting four men. “I knew them,” he said, adding that one of the victims had pleaded, “Don’t shoot, I’ll do anything!”
A third account detailed how a soldier saw 20 bodies of fallen comrades arranged in a pit after being “zeroed” by fellow soldiers. These executions, often carried out in front of others, were meant to deter dissent. The BBC believes these testimonies mark the first time frontline Russian soldiers have openly described such events to the press.
Surviving the Front
Ilya, a 35-year-old former teacher in Kungur, recounted how he was mobilized alongside 78 others in Perm. He described the chaotic and frightening conditions, with men shouting slogans like “Forwards into battle! We’ll get Zelensky and raise our flag!” as they were sent to the front. “I was watching them and thinking ‘How did I end up here?'” he said, expressing his fear.
Ilya claimed he was assigned to identify and count dead soldiers, a role that exposed him to the horrors of the conflict. He described how four men were shot at point-blank range by a commander in Russian-occupied Donetsk, including one in Panteleimonivka and three in Novoazovsk. “I knew them. I remember one of them screaming ‘Don’t shoot, I’ll do anything!’ but he [the commander] zeroed them anyway,” Ilya said.
The practice of zeroing is typically reserved for soldiers who refuse orders, serving as both punishment and psychological pressure. “Your fate depended on your commander. The commander is on the radio: ‘Zero this one, zero that one,'” Ilya explained. Such executions were not limited to his unit, with Dima, a 34-year-old from Moscow, stating, “Of course they kill their own men, it’s a normal thing.”
Casualties and Control
While official casualty figures remain undisclosed, the UK’s Ministry of Defence estimates over 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the invasion began on 24 February 2022. The Russian government asserts its forces “operate with utmost restraint” and “treat their personnel with maximum care,” while downplaying the authenticity of the testimonies. “We are unable to independently verify the accuracy or authenticity of the information you have provided,” it said in response to the reports.
The soldiers’ accounts also highlight a breakdown of order and discipline on the front lines. Many in the unit who refused to fight faced torture, starvation, and forced participation in deadly assaults. Ilya, who is now the sole survivor of his group of 79 men, described being urinated on and subjected to physical abuse for his defiance. These stories underscore the intense pressure faced by Russian troops under the current conflict.
