Some Russian soldiers are allegedly being subjected to blackmail for refusing to renew their contracts with the Russian military. This information was shared by the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh, which cited an agent embedded within the ranks of the invading forces.
According to Atesh, the higher command of the Russian Army’s 64th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade is pressuring soldiers to either renew their contracts or face deployment to embattled regions where they would participate in what are called “meat assaults.” This term refers to large-scale attacks in which soldiers are sent in waves to storm enemy positions with minimal cover, often resulting in high casualties and are sometimes referred to as “suicide missions” due to the extreme risks involved.
Atesh noted, “They are forcing them to sign a contract for at least three years, and those who refuse will be transferred to the Kursk Axis.” The organization also reported that command hints at the lethal consequences, suggesting that soldiers will be wiped out in the aforementioned meat assaults.
Fighting in Russia’s Kursk region has intensified since Kyiv’s surprise incursion in mid-2024, with reports indicating that thousands of North Korean troops have been deployed to assist Russian forces in defending the territory. However, South Korea’s defense ministry has characterized these reinforcements as being used as “cannon fodder,” indicating that they are primarily stationed in high-risk frontline areas to relieve Russian troops exposed to heavy combat.
The Russian military has been previously accused of sending its own soldiers into what has been described as a “meat grinder,” with thousands of mobilized troops reported killed or wounded in battle. In June 2024, a Russian soldier associated with the 1009th regiment recounted the dangerous situation his unit faced, explaining that they were nearly wiped out by heavy artillery while commanders still ordered them to advance. He expressed his frustration, stating, “They just chop us up! We’re sent under machine guns, under drones in daylight, like meat. And commanders just shout ‘forward, forward.’”
As of January 30, 2024, Russia has reportedly lost over 800,000 troops in the conflict, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.