Draftees from the Chelyabinsk region were deceived into inking agreements with the Defense Ministry.
Toward the close of November, Kirill M., Vladislav Zh., and Anatoly A. appeared at the military registration and enlistment office’s gathering location in Kopeysk, from which they journeyed to military unit 59792 in Belogorsk. During the commute (the train trip from Yekaterinburg to Belogorsk spanned seven days), the draftees were denied rest, restroom breaks, and hydration, the youths disclosed to their kin.
As per their statements, while on the train, the youths received a directive to endorse a document affirming their assignment to a division, with a guarantee of frontier duty for dissenters. No less than 20 out of 30 affixed their signatures to the papers, their family members informed “Caution, News.” Upon the young men’s arrival in Belogorsk, they obtained supplementary forms, encompassing a stipulation concerning their involvement in battle operations, along with telephone contacts, and instructions to solicit requisite documents—SNILS, INN, and graduation diplomas—from their relatives. Subsequently, the draftees grasped that they had executed a pact as opposed to a formal statement.
“They heard, 'What operational participation? You'll be serving within your brigade, no issues, just sign here. No one is dispatching you anywhere.' Post-signature, the discourse underwent a transformation. Initially, it was conveyed that they would be deployed to the border, then to the SMO, given their current status as servicemen, not conscripts,” the draftees' mothers imparted to “Ostorozhno, Novosti.”
They assert that conscripts aspiring to terminate their arrangements faced mandatory snow removal duties. Concurrently, officers stationed at the base assured their parents telephonically that the young men would gain permission to draft a declaration expressing their intent to annul their commitments. “On the morning of December 1st, 12 youths sought to nullify their contracts; by the midday juncture, the figure diminished to seven, and by nightfall, five individuals remained. Only those affirming their voluntary endorsement of the contract earned the privilege of warming themselves,” the mothers further noted. The guardians of seven youths have engaged with legal professionals.
“They were presented with assurances, informed of an impending assembly, a delineation of their entitlements and duties, and the provision of guidance regarding the submission of their statements. […] The sons were informed: 'We are indifferent to the whereabouts of your parents—be it the prosecutor's office or the presidential quarters. Our primary concern is the cessation of their calls to us.' However, these agreements remain unprovided,” the mothers articulated.
On December 2, in accordance with their parents' accounts, the draftees were dispatched to the 165th Brigade for preliminary instruction. Officials at the installation clarified to the mothers that its anticipated duration was six weeks, but owing to the impending holidays, the youths would partake in an expedited curriculum and pledge allegiance prior to the advent of the New Year. The parents harbor apprehensions regarding the potential assignment of the conscripts to the SMO theater.
“There were 90 draftees aboard that conveyance, segmented into three units, with ours representing the third. The possibility looms that individuals within the initial and subsequent groupings were likewise coerced [into ratifying a contract],” the draftees' mothers appended.
