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BBC NEWS | Europe | Georgia 'seizes Russian soldier'
As this soldier was interviewed and that interview was shown on Georgian TV, additionally he asked for asylum, it is difficult to see how Russia could demand his return.
The ground for demand is, - he violated Russian law. Russia has the right to demand a proof that it was his free will.
YouTube - Georgia kidnapped Russian soldier
It is another Russian soldier voluntarily denouncing Russian Army and Government in Georgia:
YouTube - ruski soldatik, putin i medvedev chmo
As the matter of fact it is absolutely unreasonable to believe that a DEMBEL and a Sergeant of Russian army would defect to Georgia and he would complain about conditions in Russian Army. It is absolutely unexpectable from a DEMBEL or/and Sergeant. The only case may be if he committed a crime in Russia and had no other way to go.
Conditions within the Russian army (which basically consists of National service conscripts) are such that no sensible person would ever volunteer for.
Russian Army still mostly drafts – 18 years olds, who are not capable to give bribes and do not have connections and are not University students. A reform is planned and to make it all like in the US, - contract service. Some units now are mostly - as Tashah calls them kontraktnici, all alcogolics and serial killers. She does not know that Kontraktniki = CONTRACTniki.
This particular part of Russian military- VDV- is in large part volunteers, CONTRACTniki.
YouTube - Non-official Russian Airborne troops anthem-Sineva
‘’6th Company … fought well against enormous odds once it moved to Hill 776 under the effective leadership of the battalion commander and his deputy.
.All this occurred in enormously difficult terrain and weather conditions and against tenacious Chechen resistance.
… no 6th Company soldiers were taken prisoner. They refused to give up their position, even while knowing they would be overrun and killed.
Despite glaring tactical mistakes in security and reconnaissance, the Russian airborne spirit successfully imbued its men with the morale and courage that come with pride of corps.’’
Ulus-Kert: An Airborne Company's Last Stand [Archive] - Military Photos
Before the reform 90 Russian VDV came across a 700 (some estimate up to 2000) Chechen rebels and Arab mercenaries on a narrow path . 18- 19 years old draftees did not surrender, only 4 wounded and 2 bruised survived. They killed about 300 Muslim fighters and when too few were left alive they according to the old tradition of the Russian military radioed their own coordinates to their artillery (calling fire upon themselves) and said ‘’good buy, brothers’’. They artillery fire killed a few more hundreds of Muslims.
This is a remembrance of the 6th Company of 104th Regiment of 76th VDV Divison . If anybody is interested to look at the faces of The 2 survivers they are talking from 3:27 – how it was their first fight and how they were scared.
YouTube - 776 hill - the Feat of Pskovs VDV (paratroopers)