"Can't Fight Anymore" Russian Soldiers Demanding Discharge... 10 Handwritten Letters Left in Ukraine

Handwritten letters from Russian soldiers appealing for discharge due to accumulated fatigue and deteriorating health were found in Izyum, northeastern Ukraine.
[Photo by Twitter]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] As the war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues into its 200th day, handwritten letters from Russian soldiers pleading for discharge due to accumulated fatigue and deteriorating health have been discovered in Izium.

Izium is known as a strategic stronghold in northeastern Ukraine that was occupied by Russia. On the 11th (local time), Ukraine launched an operation to reclaim the northeast and announced that it had regained control of Izium after nearly half a year.

According to a recent report by The Washington Post (WP), Ukrainian forces who retook Izium found 10 handwritten letters left among the belongings such as military boots and combat uniforms abandoned by Russian soldiers. These letters are estimated to have been written around the end of August, about ten days before the Ukrainian forces reclaimed Izium, and left during the retreat.

The letters mainly contained complaints about accumulated fatigue from prolonged combat and worsening health. One soldier, who was deployed to the Ukrainian front after serving in the missile command in the Moscow region, wrote, "I am exhausted from lack of rest and my will to fight is depleted," and stated, "I refuse to complete the special military operation mission in the Ukrainian territory assigned to me." The special military operation is the official name given by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the military action initiated on February 24 during the invasion of Ukraine.

Another soldier appealed that he was experiencing physical and mental exhaustion and was unable to continue fighting. There was also a soldier who requested dismissal from his position, citing deteriorating health due to injuries and lack of proper medical treatment. Other complaints in the letters included requests for leave due to marriage or childbirth being denied by superiors.

Ukrainian soldiers are standing on a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle with the Ukrainian flag planted on it, waving their hands near Izium, Kharkiv Oblast in the northeast, which was recently recaptured from Russian occupation on the 14th (local time).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, a mass grave was discovered in Izium, recently recaptured by Ukraine from Russia, sparking controversy. On the 15th, Serhiy Volvynov, a senior police investigator in the Kharkiv region, stated in an interview with Sky News that more than 440 bodies were buried near Izium. Most of the bodies were reported to have died from gunshot wounds or landmine explosions. Ukraine regards this as a result of war crimes committed by Russian forces and has launched an investigation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.