The conscripts’ parents have told an independent news site about their intentions. Russia has so far avoided using conscripts in its war of aggression.
11:42•Updated 11:51
Fear is spreading in Murmansk that Russia is about to send conscripts who have just started their service to the Kursk battles, says an independent Russian news site Agenstvo.
According to the parents interviewed by the news site, at the conscripts’ swearing-in ceremony in Murmansk on August 3, it was said that some of the conscripts would be transferred to the Kursk region. Ukraine launched its invasion of the region three days later.
According to the Telegram channel Ostorožno Novosti, the conscripts’ parents wrote the petition to the president to Vladimir Putin and to the Armed Forces Prosecutor’s Office to prevent transfers of conscripts.
So far, it is not known if the plan is still valid.
Conscripts should not have to fight
President Putin promised at the beginning of the war of aggression that conscripts would not be sent to hostilities. Using conscripts for combat missions would be highly unpopular.
However, according to the organization that promotes the rights of conscripts, preparations are also being made to send conscripts to Kursk elsewhere than in Murmansk, Agenstvo says.
In addition, according to relatives, conscripts transferred from the Kursk border during the fighting have been pressured to become contract soldiers, says another Russian independent news website Vjorstka.
Conscripts have remained prisoners of Ukraine
Instead of actual combat missions, Russia has used conscripts in other missions.
At least a hundred conscripts secured the Kursk-Ukraine border when the attack began, Vjorstka tells. The well-equipped offensive forces of Ukraine quickly overwhelmed the units of conscripts and border guards.
Ukraine has taken at least seven conscripts as prisoners in Kursk, says the independent news site Važnye istorii. In addition, at least twenty are missing.