CNN
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A Russian soldier has defected to Ukraine, based on the Freedom for Russia Legion, the “I Wish to Dwell Venture,” and the Protection Intelligence of Ukraine.
The defected soldier – with the decision signal “Silver” – was an lively serviceman for the unit “Storm” earlier than volunteering for the Freedom for Russia Legion through the “winter of 2024,” the legion, a bunch of Russian dissidents combating for Ukraine, mentioned.
Silver, a 24-year-old from Siberia who joined the Russian military in 2021, gave his causes for defecting in an interview posted on YouTube by the “I Wish to Dwell” undertaking – a Ukrainian authorities initiative which receives appeals from Russian servicemen in Ukraine wishing to give up.
“I wished to serve within the military, I gave an oath to guard my motherland. My motherland is there [in Russia] and no-one attacked it. I didn’t wish to serve for Russia through the battle and didn’t wish to die for Putin,” he mentioned.
Silver took half within the combating in Ukraine’s japanese Avdiivka space from the Russian aspect of the border as a drone operator, he defined within the interview. He had additionally beforehand served on China’s border with Russia.
“Silver was a member of the resistance for a number of months and transmitted vital operational data to us (the placement of forces and gear, plans, duties in a selected part of the entrance, and many others.),” the Freedom for Russia Legion mentioned.
Escaping the Storm unit, Silver “activated explosive units” within the unit’s headquarters, significantly injuring the commander and several other senior officers, based on the legion.
The legion posted a video to its YouTube channel taken from a hidden digital camera claiming to point out the operation. A number of males are seen within the video in military uniforms earlier than an explosion erupts, inflicting a fireplace.
“Throughout the retreat, Silver mined the trail and went alongside the agreed route. The legion command, along with the ‘I Wish to Dwell’ workforce, organized Silver’s exit from the fight line. Now he’s present process a fundamental coaching course as a legion recruit,” the Legion mentioned.
Ukraine’s intelligence division mentioned the operation to get Silver out was named “Ocheret.”
“The Russian was motivated to cooperate with Ukraine by the systematic battle crimes and different crimes of the command, together with extrajudicial executions, beatings, and robberies within the occupation unit,” the Protection Intelligence mentioned on Telegram on Tuesday.
Silver claimed within the interview that he had seen some Russian troopers killed by their very own commander.
CNN is unable to confirm this declare however has reached out to the Russian Ministry of Protection for remark.
The Protection Intelligence mentioned Ukraine was capable of acquire invaluable intelligence on the placement, quantity, and intentions of Russian forces “in a specific frontline space” due to the interplay with Silver.
