Ex‑Russian Front‑Line Soldiers Reveal Commander‑Ordered Executions and ‘Meat Storm’ Tactics
Updated (2 articles)
Witnesses Describe On‑Site Executions Ordered by Commanders Former front‑line troops recount seeing comrades shot at point‑blank range after refusing orders, including a commander who earned the “Hero of Russia” title in 2024 and another who personally killed four men; commanders allegedly radio “Zero this one,” and bodies are buried in pits [1][2].
‘Zero’ and ‘Annulation’ Define a Systemic Punishment Vocabulary The slang “zero” denotes executing one’s own soldiers, while “annulation” is used by Viorstka to describe the same practice, encompassing both shootings and forced suicide missions; testimonies identify hundreds of “annulators” across multiple units, indicating a widespread internal killing mechanism [1][2].
‘Meat Storm’ Suicide‑Like Wave Attacks Deployed on the Front Soldiers report “meat storms,” waves of unarmed men sent across front lines to wear down Ukrainian forces, likened to a “meat grinder” and resulting in hundreds of deaths within days; witnesses provided death lists and video footage showing bodies, bank‑card theft, and forced participation [1].
Fleeing Soldiers Provide Evidence While Living in Fear All four interviewees have fled Russia, fearing retaliation, and now reside abroad; they supplied death lists, video evidence, and describe lasting psychological trauma, while noting that front‑line troops still fear speaking out about the killings [1][2].
Sources
-
1.
BBC: Former Russian Front‑line Soldiers Describe Commander‑Ordered Executions and ‘Meat Storm’ Tactics: focuses on first‑hand accounts of on‑site executions, “zero” slang, “meat storms,” and refugees providing death lists and video proof.
-
2.
Le Monde: Russian Army “Annulations”: Soldiers Report Summary Executions of Disobedient Troops: highlights Viorstka’s compilation of testimonies on “annulations,” the terminology, the scale of “annulators,” and the climate of fear among active soldiers.
Related Tickers
Timeline
2024 – A commander later seen ordering on‑spot executions receives the “Hero of Russia” award, showing how officers implicated in war crimes are publicly honored by the state [1].
2025‑2026 (ongoing) – Russian troops endure “annulations,” a pattern of summary killings of disobedient soldiers; Viorstka identifies hundreds of “annulators” across multiple units, indicating a systemic internal execution practice [2].
Feb 20‑21, 2026 – Viorstka publishes a compiled report of soldiers’ testimonies on “annulations,” describing forced suicide missions and the “butchery” of hopeless assaults, and noting that frontline troops fear speaking out [2].
Feb 24, 2026 – Four former front‑line soldiers, now abroad, recount commanders radioing “Zero this one” before shooting comrades at point‑blank range and describe “meat storms” where waves of unarmed men are sent into combat, causing “hundreds of deaths within days” and likened to a “meat grinder” [1].
Feb 24, 2026 – One ex‑soldier, tasked with counting the dead, survives a group of 79, provides death lists and video evidence showing bodies, bank‑card theft, and a woman describing men advancing with only machine guns and shovels, underscoring brutal documentation of war crimes [1].
Feb 24, 2026 – The former soldiers, while condemning the command structure and expressing love for Russia but not for Putin’s policies, state they fled Russia fearing retaliation, highlighting the personal risk faced by whistleblowers [1].