Military personnel of a military unit in the Pechengsky district of the Murmansk region were ordered to prepare for the exercises, which will begin in the north and will continue in the south — in the Rostov region. Also, the military command informed that perhaps they will have to cross the state border with Ukraine. While there was no official order. Subordinates made an audio recording of forming in which the unit commander talked about it. They have applied for legal assistance in the human rights organization "Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg" and clarification to the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation.
The Standing Committee on civil-military relations of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Sergei Krivenko, who urgently visited the Murmansk region, told about it to «7x7».
Photo: Maxim Polyakov
“It is not a demarche or refuse of contract soldiers from military duty. Everyone who spoke to me have expressed their willingness to serve, but today it is not clear why the command of a separate part allowed itself to talk with subordinates that way, to make statements and give orders that are contrary to the words of the president of the country! It is not permissible in the present situation,” the head of the Standing Committee on civil-military relations of the Presidential Council for Civil Society Institutions and Human Rights Sergei Krivenko said.
Sergei Krivenko visited a military reservation "Sputnik" (Pechenga, Murmansk region) and met with soldiers. Twenty people signed a formal appeal to the Council. They asked to clarify the situation with the "informal orders" and evaluate the actions of the commander.
“No matter how many people participated in this statement. In this case, it would be enough for one person to say about the fact of such behavior of the commander,” Sergei Krivenko said.
However, Murmansk human rights activist Irina Paykachyova, who also participated in the meeting, said that this number is important. According to her, initially 23 people asked for help. She suspects that the soldiers are pressured. Her assumptions to some extent are confirmed by the audio: commander of the unit threatened everyone who approached the authorities with additional questions about the trip with dismissal (for non-contract terms), the court (for conspiracy) and tarnished reputation.
“Several people have just decided to terminate the contract, they told us about it. Some want to continue the service, but only in official relations with the authorities. And the others are "hostages" of the system — many are tied by loans or "military mortgage" and therefore they have no choice: to serve or not to serve,” Irina Paykachyova explained. “We are very pleased that Sergei Krivenko found an opportunity to come almost immediately. People feel that they have support.”
Defenders presented the situation with all the details and evidence in official letters that were sent to the Russian Defense Ministry and the Chief Military Prosecutor.
“Formal terms of consideration of appeals — one month, but we have established good contacts, a special agreement with the Ministry of Defense on the most pressing issues, so we expect to receive answers in the coming days,” Sergei Krivenko said.
Photo: nord-news.ru
Yevgeniya Volkova, «7x7»
