Responsible for the deaths of 300 former comrades? 'I took an oath to defend freedom'

A former Russian officer, who graduated from the military academy in St. Petersburg, has admitted to being responsible for the deaths of more than 300 former comrades. He told the Wall Street Journal he broke his oath to his country after realizing President Vladimir Putin had destroyed freedom, independence, and the constitutional order. His decision to switch sides came after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which led him to oppose both the conduct of the Russian military and Kremlin decisions. Instead of leaving the army, he chose a more dangerous path, secretly cooperating with Ukrainian forces and providing them information about Russian troop positions and movements. According to the Wall Street Journal, this cooperation led to several deadly attacks on Russian soldiers. One of the earliest and most impactful attacks he was reportedly involved in occurred during the gathering of Russian troops. The officer provided exact coordinates of the location where Russian units were assembling. Just before the attack, he pretended to have stomach issues and retreated into a nearby forest. Soon after, the area was hit by Ukrainian missiles. The Wall Street Journal reported that 68 Russian soldiers were killed in the attack, including Colonel Gusein Musayev, one of the more prominent targets for Ukrainian forces. This marked the beginning of extensive secret collaboration between the Russian officer and the Ukrainian military. According to the Wall Street Journal, over the following months, the officer provided additional information that enabled Ukrainian forces to launch attacks on Russian positions and personnel. Based on his intelligence, more than 300 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed. Information from the officer was particularly crucial in battles around Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, according to German magazine Focus. The city and its surroundings became sites of prolonged and extremely bloody clashes, where Russian forces attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses. The Wall Street Journal stated that data from the Russian informant helped Ukrainian forces limit Russian advances in that region. His role was not limited to providing information on individual soldiers, he also participated in broader sabotage activities aimed at weakening Russian military capabilities. Such actions were highly risky. If Russian authorities discovered his cooperation with Ukraine, he could face severe consequences for treason or espionage. Despite this risk, he remained in the Russian military long enough to continue passing information. After a period of secret cooperation, the former officer left Russian ranks permanently in July 2024 and joined the Ukrainian side. There, he joined Russian volunteer units fighting against Putin’s army. According to the Wall Street Journal, he no longer holds a military rank and lives modestly compared to his past. All his possessions fit into two bags, and his accounts lead him to dangerous areas between opposing armies. He uses equipment to protect himself from drones, as he needs to safeguard communication devices used by his units. Despite the danger, he says he found a new family among the Russian volunteers fighting on the Ukrainian side. His story is not unique. According to the Wall Street Journal, networks of Russian defectors and informants operate in Ukraine, providing Ukrainian forces with information about the Russian military. Some choose to cooperate due to opposition to the war and Putin’s regime, while others do so for personal reasons or financial incentives. Individual informants can earn approximately €3,400 per month for their work. Russian authorities are aware of soldiers who defect to the Ukrainian side or collaborate with Ukrainian intelligence.