As of: January 27, 2024, 3:43 p.m
By: Jakob Koch
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The Russian military's Storm-Z units consist of criminals and punished soldiers.
Now they have been moved to a new front within Ukraine.
© Screenshots
The Storm-Z units in Ukraine, like Wagner troops, are made up of criminals.
Russia is currently sending them to a new front.
Moscow – In Russia, more and more convicts are being sent to the war against Ukraine.
Moscow has released up to 100,000 prisoners from prison and sent them into the conflict in Ukraine, according to government and human rights activists.
The promise of a pardon and a relatively high salary found many volunteers.
This approach was introduced by the now deceased head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In addition to Wagner, there is another unit of the Russian army called Storm-Z.
Soldiers from the force are currently being deployed to the Sivershchyna Front in northern Ukraine.
“Only meat”: Storm-Z fighters in Ukraine are “lowest priority” for Russia
Originally, these “Storm Z” troops were intended to serve as elite units in the ranks of the Russian army.
However, it quickly became apparent that the "Storm Z" units did not fulfill this task - and were in fact made up of a mix of prisoners and regular soldiers who were subject to disciplinary measures.
According to a British Ministry of Defense report, these units are the “lowest priority” in terms of logistics and medical supplies for Moscow.
“Assault fighters are just meat,” a contract soldier from Unit 40318 recently told the
Reuters news agency.
His unit was deployed near the embattled city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
While providing medical care to a group of six or seven wounded Storm-Z fighters on the battlefield, he defied a commander's order to leave the men behind.
The reasons for this order remained unclear to him.
However, this event exemplifies how the Storm-Z fighters are viewed by officers as less valuable than traditional troops.
Russia's Storm-Z troops in Ukraine: Current deployments to the Sivershchyna Front
Currently, Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, warns that preparations are underway for the resumption of Russian offensive operations on the Sivershchyna Front.
According to a Telegram message from Syrskyi, for this reason the Russian armed forces are moving Storm-Z units and forming assault companies.
This is reported by Ukrainska Pravda,
among others
.
The Storm-Z units should also prove useful to the Russian Ministry of Defense on this front.
The Russia-founded independent group Conflict Intelligence Team recently said: “These fighters are simply sent to the most dangerous parts of the front, whether to defend or attack.”
Soldier gives insights: Pay for Russian Storm-Z units in Ukraine at 1,900 euros
Another Storm Z soldier recently gave the US-financed broadcaster “Sever Realii” insights into the Russian army’s recruitment attempts.
According to him, prisoners are lured with promising visions and generous sums of money.
There is talk of soldiers receiving the equivalent of up to 1,900 euros if they fight in Ukraine.
In the event of injuries, the soldiers would reportedly be entitled to compensation of 29,400 euros.
By the way, there is no official information about this from the Kremlin.
The Russian Ministry of Defense has never admitted the formation of Storm-Z units.
(
jako
)