Shocking disrespect: Russian soldier laid to rest in trash heap
The Russian Federation sends thousands of soldiers to the Ukrainian front, promising them substantial earnings and respect upon their return from war. However, these promises are often revealed to be false, as "Mother Russia" appears unable to care for her soldiers even in death. A video has been circulating online, showing the grave of a fallen soldier, alarmingly situated in a dump adjacent to the cemetery.
11:38 AM EST, November 19, 2023
In an unsettling revelation, it appears that Russia does not afford its soldiers respect during their lifetime, so it is somewhat unsurprising that this lack of respect extends even to death. The video that surfaced online shows a Russian soldier, killed in Ukraine, buried not in a cemetery but next to it, essentially in a refuse dump.
While the Russian Federation assures its recruits heading for war in Ukraine not only generous earnings but also respect upon their return and a better life overall, these claims often prove false. Soldiers cannot rely on appreciation from "Mother Russia", not even posthumously. They are seemingly viewed as cannon fodder, undeserving of even a proper burial.
A video shared by bloggers in Russia on Telegram, taken from one of the country's cemeteries, raises concern. The video shows a soldier's tombstone adorned with wreaths and a tricolor flag, indicating a soldier who died in Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of such graves exist in Russia, but this particular one is notable as it is situated right next to the dump, not in the cemetery proper.
This was no mistake; the soldier was deliberately buried outside the cemetery due to lack of space. This was a corner where used wreaths, candles, and other waste gathered - an improvised dump. An Orthodox cross sits on the grave, and recognitions from the country's administration, military, and national symbols. However, they failed to secure a proper place for the soldier among the other graves.
This grim reality is not a new phenomenon in the country under Vladimir Putin's rule.
There have been numerous reports from Russian residents stating that fresh tombstones are being flattened by bulldozers in some cemeteries to make room for new graves for those killed in Ukraine. This has also occurred with the graves of soldiers from the Wagner Group, resulting in outrage among existing members of this unit.
Shockingly, in many instances, bodies were not even interred in graves as they were either incinerated at the front in mobile crematoria or they were left abandoned on the battlefield. Many of the graves were dug by Ukrainians who buried the Russians according to custom, a task which their own countrymen failed to undertake.
As of mid-November, Russia has lost 318,570 soldiers in the Ukraine conflict and has more than twice that number injured. Despite this, the Kremlin continues to send ill-prepared and poorly equipped soldiers who are easy targets for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The number of graves is expected to rise further. The only question is whether there will be space for them.
