Independent outlet Verstka publishes list of Russian soldiers who execute their own comrades

A list of more than 100 servicemen in the Russian army accused of carrying out extrajudicial executions against their own comrades has been published by the independent outlet Verstka. The outlet’s database includes 101 names.

The list features commanders of Russian Armed Forces units as well as the direct perpetrators of the killings. At least five of those named have been awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation.

“‘Nullifiers’ are what we call commanders and soldiers who practice such executions,” Verstka wrote. “This includes not only literal killings — shootings or torturing to death — but also deadly orders, such as sending soldiers into ‘meat assaults’ without weapons, support, or equipment.”

According to the outlet, there are credible accusations of murder involving at least 150 servicemen, but the real numbers are almost certainly much higher. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office has received around 12,000 complaints related to extrajudicial reprisals against military personnel, with a sharp rise starting from the second half of 2023.

The vast majority of the complaints have gone unanswered. : aAccording to Verstka, there is an informal ban within the military prosecutor’s office on reviewing complaints against field commanders, and criminal cases are opened only in rare instances. The outlet reports that only 10 criminal cases are known to have been launched and that a mere five “nullifiers” have been convicted.