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'They're just meat': Russia deploys punishment battalions in echo of Stalin
Reuters ^ | October 3, 2023 | Polina Nikolskaya and Maria Tsvetkova

Posted on 10/03/2023 4:24:24 AM PDT by Timber Rattler

Drunk recruits. Insubordinate soldiers. Convicts.

They're among hundreds of military and civilian offenders who've been pressed into Russian penal units known as "Storm-Z" squads and sent to the frontlines in Ukraine this year, according to 13 people with knowledge of the matter, including five fighters in the units.

Few live to tell their tale, the people said.

(snip)

"Storm fighters, they're just meat," said one regular soldier from army unit no. 40318 who was deployed near the fiercely contested city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine in May and June.

(snip)

Russian state-controlled media has reported that Storm-Z squads exist, that they took part in intense battles and some of their members received medals for bravery, but it has not disclosed how they are formed, or the losses they take.

(snip)

The penal squads, each about 100-150 strong and embedded within regular army units, have typically been sent to the most exposed parts of the front and often sustain heavy losses, according to Reuters interviews with the people, who identified at least five Storm-Z teams fighting to repel a Ukrainian counteroffensive in the east and south.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: aloadofcrap; bidenswar; cannonfodder; convicts; garbagepost; globalistpropagenda; killallrooskies; liesforyouguys; mariatsvetkova; penalbattalions; polinanikolskaya; professionaltroll; propagenda; reuters; rooters; smellslikebullshit; ukieburger; westernprojection
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The Russian Army using the Wagner convict model now...


1 posted on 10/03/2023 4:24:24 AM PDT by Timber Rattler
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To: Timber Rattler

SOP for Marxist/Maoist armies. Stalin did it...Mao did it...and yes,Hitler did it too.


2 posted on 10/03/2023 4:28:28 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Two Words: Banana Republic)
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To: Timber Rattler

Is Reuters writing fiction now, or is this for real?? I suspect it is little of both.


3 posted on 10/03/2023 4:37:19 AM PDT by elpadre (rattle snakes)
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To: Timber Rattler

They used to call them “cannon fodder”


4 posted on 10/03/2023 4:40:15 AM PDT by COBOL2Java ("Life without liberty is like a body without spirit." - Kahlil Gibran)
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To: Gay State Conservative

Was Hitler a marxist or a maoist?
Which is Zelensky?

Because it’s been a long time since the world witnessed a more savage nihilistic strategy than that of the Ukrainians sending waves of men to their deaths.

This story is yet another in a pattern of western media projecting onto Russia the abhorrent acts being perped similarly or much much worse by our Ukrainian “ aliies”


5 posted on 10/03/2023 4:40:22 AM PDT by silverleaf (Inside Every Progressive Is A Totalitarian Screaming To Get Out” —David Horowitz)
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To: Timber Rattler

.


6 posted on 10/03/2023 4:47:40 AM PDT by sauropod (I will stand for truth even if I stand alone.)
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To: Timber Rattler

This war will end when the Ukraine either ceases to exist and/or NATO collapses. When that happens, Neocon rats like you will go back to being #Nevertrump globalists, pimping vaxxines and other forms of Big government.


7 posted on 10/03/2023 4:49:03 AM PDT by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: Timber Rattler

JUST MORE NAKED CIA WAR PORN PROPAGANDA FROM TGE FR SNAKE

Does everyone here love this Biden Putin war like TR does? That Snake just loves the smell of napalm in the morning.


8 posted on 10/03/2023 4:53:56 AM PDT by FlyingEagle
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To: Timber Rattler

I wish Russia would make peace with its neighbors and instead wage war with the scumbag foot soldiers at Reuters and Associated Press. The true enemy of the people. /spit


9 posted on 10/03/2023 5:13:39 AM PDT by Flavious_Maximus (Tony Fauci will be put on death row and die of COVID!)
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To: Timber Rattler

Sending drunks to the front line is addition by subtraction ... fewer useless people mooching off society ... however, once Putin gets rid of all the drunks, who will be left in Russia?


10 posted on 10/03/2023 5:15:26 AM PDT by Redmen4ever
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To: Timber Rattler

The Shape Shifters of Ukraine… Losing The Battle
Posted on October 3, 2023 by Helena

Excerpt:

“US claims its aide to Ukraine to be roughly $120 billion, the EU claims their contribution is $85 billion, and another $55 billion has been wracked up by other state actors. $260 billion dedicated, yet according to the World Bank where ALL funds must be laundered, only $38 billion was actually sent out. A discrepancy of $222 billion – 85% – lost in the melee.”

https://helenaglass.net/2023/10/03/ukraine-shape-shifters-losing-the-battle/


11 posted on 10/03/2023 5:19:03 AM PDT by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: FlyingEagle

Putin and his fannyboys are the only ones here cheering for more war

because a Russo-Nazi regime like Russia isn’t interested in Peace, just attacking & invading more neighboring countries

“Russian State TV Lays Out Plans for New Empire”

https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4185887/posts

“Russia general says Ukraine just ‘stepping stone’ to invade Europe: ‘Won’t stop’”

https://freerepublic.com/focus/news/4181954/posts


12 posted on 10/03/2023 5:28:08 AM PDT by canuck_conservative (there would be no more need for NATO, if Russia could just stop attacking its neighbors)
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To: Timber Rattler

Alternate headline: NATO is losing to a bunch of drunks and convicts.

Maybe its time to stop writing a blank check to these morons.


13 posted on 10/03/2023 5:54:13 AM PDT by mac_truck (aide toi et dieu t'aidera)
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To: JonPreston

“This war will end when the Ukraine either ceases to exist and/or NATO collapses.”

Yep, and as far as how the Russians view Ukrainians, the article is, of course, more Pulp Fiction, since they look at Ukrainians as basically siblings of Russians.

But it may come true in the future, which is if the Neocons force Russia to take the fight into Poland and Western Europe, then the gloves come off and it’s likely back to World War 2 rules for them.


14 posted on 10/03/2023 5:56:36 AM PDT by BobL (I own an F150 so that I can tow my boat all day Saturday and look Manly)
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To: silverleaf

It must be such fun to live a life of making things up all the time.
There is no way on Earth that Ukraine, fighting with loads of the latest weapons from the Western countries, is killing its soldiers in a nihilistic fashion that has never been seen before in world history.
In fact, they have been criticized for not pressing the offensive quickly enough, and for failing to conscript the younger generation.

Kind of like the zombies who walk around reciting global warming doom stories.


15 posted on 10/03/2023 6:08:08 AM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: BobL

Why don’t you just get out of my country with your anti-western and anti-american propaganda, I mean it’s disgusting.

Now you’re blathering on that the West is going to “force” Russia to invade Poland and all of Western Europe.

But Russia loves it’s Ukrainian “siblings” okeee dokie. You’re absurd and it’s sad if anyone here listens to you.


16 posted on 10/03/2023 6:12:21 AM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Williams

Western Civilization is now about spreading perversion around the globe.


17 posted on 10/03/2023 6:17:47 AM PDT by LukeL
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To: LukeL

Kook talk like that will bring down Western civilization.


18 posted on 10/03/2023 6:36:33 AM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Timber Rattler

The Dirty Dozen, only much bigger.


19 posted on 10/03/2023 6:41:16 AM PDT by Salman (It's not a slippery slope if it was part of the program all along. )
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To: Williams

Our government and entertainment industry is doing a good enough job on their own.


20 posted on 10/03/2023 6:43:48 AM PDT by LukeL
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