Russian soldiers face killings by commanders for refusing bribes
Russian soldiers (Photo: Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS)
Summary executions in Russia's military have become more widespread and brutal, with soldiers killed by comrades and commanders without trial, often for refusing bribes, Russian outlet Verstka reported on Oct. 28 based on soldier accounts and military prosecutor complaints.
Russian soldiers have been talking about illegal reprisals in the army ranks since the first year of the full-scale military invasion of Ukraine.
"By 2025, executions and tortures in the army have become more brutal, and they are increasingly triggered by personal enmity between soldiers and commanders and refusal to pay tribute to superiors," the article's authors state.
Russian commanders and soldiers who practice executions are called "nullifiers," and the act itself is termed "nullification." A Russian soldier can be "nullified" for dissent or for complaints to relatives or the prosecutor's office. But the main reason for "nullification" is refusal to pay. Russian commanders, in particular, demand bribes and engage in extortion.
According to Russian soldiers who spoke with journalists, a popular method of "nullification" is sending them on "meat assaults" often without weapons or gear. This method of eliminating unwanted soldiers is widespread in many units of Russia's Ministry of Defense, the article's authors state.
In case of refusal to participate in the assault, death catches up with the Russian soldier in his own trenches. As one soldier told journalists, in his unit the commander had a "specially trained person for nullification" who shot at point-blank range with an automatic rifle.
As one source told Verstka, in 2023 snipers from his battalion commander killed 20 of his comrades, and in 2024 — 40.
In some units, instead of barrier troops and snipers, those who "messed up" are eliminated by drones. In particular, UAV operators are ordered to drop grenades on their own comrades.
"Tortures in pits and basements are also considered nullifications by soldiers — because they most often end in death," Verstka notes.
The bodies of "nullified" Russian soldiers are dumped in rivers, buried in tree lines, left on the battlefield after being shot with automatic rifle bursts. They are listed as missing without trace or AWOL — those who deserted their unit.
Another method of elimination is sending them on assault with a grenade inside the body armor without the pin.
"They send you to positions. If you fall, or get hit, or any sudden movement — boom," one Russian soldiers told journalists.
The article's authors found data on more than 100 "nullifiers" in the ranks of Russia's army. Almost all are commanders — from platoon leaders to battalion and even division commanders, with an average age of about 40.
According to a Verstka source, since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, more than 12,000 complaints related to reprisals against soldiers have been filed with Russia's chief military prosecutor's office. However, there is an unofficial ban on investigating such cases.
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