Russian military commanders reportedly punished two soldiers accused of desertion and disobeying orders by tying them to a tree and forcing snow into their mouths. The leaked footage shows the men in only their underwear, exposed to the freezing cold.
Both soldiers apologised for their alleged disobedience, with one saying, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again,” while hanging upside down as a superior officer shoved snow into his mouth, saying, “Eat it. Absolute fools.”
The officer, according to the video, also shouted, “These idiots tried to leave their positions without permission, refusing to follow orders. What are you lying about?”
The men reportedly failed to reach a destination assigned by their commander, though the location and purpose remain unclear, reported The New York Post.
The footage comes amid ongoing peace talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine War. Russian President Vladimir Putin has insisted he will not withdraw troops unless Ukraine cedes part of its territory, a demand Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected.
He told reporters in December, “We have no right to give anything away — not under our laws, not under international law, not under moral law. Russia is, of course, insisting that we give up territory. We, of course, do not want to give up anything — that is precisely what we are fighting for, as you are well aware.”
Meanwhile, Russia launched overnight strikes in Kharkiv and Odesa over the weekend, cutting power to roughly 80% of Ukraine’s second-largest city and leaving many residents without heating in sub-zero temperatures. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said crews are actively working “to eliminate all the negative consequences” from the attacks. At least 44 people, including children and a pregnant woman, were injured in the strikes, as reported by The New York Post.
