Russian soldiers tell BBC they saw fellow troops executed on commanders’ orders
Russian soldiers tell BBC they saw fellow troops executed on commanders’ orders
Four Russian soldiers have shared harrowing accounts of the harsh realities faced on the front lines in Ukraine, with two describing how their commanders ordered the killing of soldiers who refused to follow instructions. These testimonies, captured in the documentary The Zero Line: Inside Russia’s War, reveal a disturbing pattern of executions carried out by officers to maintain discipline among troops.
Commanders order instant executions
One soldier recounted witnessing a comrade shot dead by his commander, who was later honored as a “Hero of Russia” in 2024. “I saw it—just two metres, three metres… click, clack, bang,” he said, describing the grim scene. Another soldier, from a separate unit, claimed his commander personally executed four men. “I knew them,” he said. “I remember one of them screaming, ‘Don’t shoot, I’ll do anything!’”
“The saddest thing is that I knew them. I remember one of them screaming ‘Don’t shoot, I’ll do anything!’ but he [the commander] zeroed them anyway.”
One of the soldiers also described discovering 20 bodies of fallen comrades in a trench, victims of a practice known as “zeroing.” This Russian military slang refers to the execution of one’s own soldiers, typically as punishment for refusing orders. The men explained that zeroing serves as a tool to intimidate others into compliance.
Personal accounts of trauma
Among the witnesses was a soldier whose role was to identify and tally the dead. He provided detailed lists showing he was the sole survivor from a group of 79 men mobilized with him. Refusing to engage in combat, he endured torture, including being urinated on, and was forced to endure harsh conditions at the front. “I was watching them and thinking, ‘How did I end up here?’” he recalled, expressing his fear.
Others in his unit who resisted were subjected to electrocution, starvation, or being sent into “meat storms”—offensive operations described as suicidal by the soldiers themselves. These relentless assaults, which push troops forward without regard for survival, have become a grim symbol of the conflict’s brutality.
Survivors speak out
The four soldiers, now in hiding, shared their stories from a secret location outside Russia. Their accounts highlight the suppression of dissent within the military, as almost all public opposition to President Vladimir Putin’s invasion has been silenced. While Moscow does not release official casualty figures, the UK’s Ministry of Defence estimates over 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed or wounded since the full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022.
The Russian government maintains its forces “operate with utmost restraint,” emphasizing care for personnel in high-intensity conflict. However, it admitted being unable to independently verify the testimonies provided. Despite this, the firsthand accounts corroborate reports of a breakdown in law and order on the front lines, where commanders’ authority overrides human life.
A life changed by war
Before the war, Ilya, a 35-year-old teacher in Kungur, the Urals, worked with children who had special needs. In May 2024, police arrived at his home, summoning him for mobilization. Alongside 78 others, he was sent to a recruitment center in Perm. “Nearly everyone was drunk,” he said. “Forwards into battle! We’ll get Zelensky and raise our flag!” he recalled them shouting. Despite his initial reluctance to fight, he found himself at a command post, where he saw four men shot for fleeing the front.
Dima, a 34-year-old former dishwasher repairman in Moscow, echoed similar experiences. “Of course they kill their own men, it’s a normal thing,” he stated, underscoring the normalization of violence within the ranks. These stories paint a chilling picture of loyalty enforced through fear, as soldiers are pressured to obey orders or face deadly consequences.
