Former elite Russian soldier Pavel Filatev has had enough of the war in Ukraine. After months at the front, the 33-year-old fled and wrote a book about his experiences in the army, in which he calls the invasion of Ukraine senseless and criminal, reports of looting and the lack of medical care in Russian military hospitals. Now he has published a video of him tearing up his passport and symbolically flushing it down the toilet.
After the flight to the West, the ex-paratrooper apparently wants nothing to do with the government of his home country: the Russian tears up his travel, veteran and military passport in an airport toilet in Paris and then flushes the leftovers down the toilet. “I love all Russian people, but Putin is not Russia. The government is not Russia at the moment,” he explains his actions. He applied for asylum and managed to escape with the help of an NGO.
Filatev deserted in early August, then unpacked his experiences: he just had to speak of “war”, although this choice of words was banned by the Kremlin. His reports are shocking and relentless. He gives many details that Russian ruler Vladimir Putin certainly does not want to make public.
Deserter reports looting and poor supplies
The atmosphere at the front is marked by despair and morale is shattered. He no longer wanted to fight and could no longer be silent. In this war, many would die for targets that were not even clearly defined. “I see no justice in this war. I don’t see the truth,” he told The Guardian. Nobody knows why this war is being waged. He confirmed that there had been looting and said that field hospitals don’t even have painkillers for wounded soldiers.
Filatev had a rusty rifle in the front
Filatev was a paratrooper and took part in the capture of Kherson. Many of his former military colleagues are also disappointed with the decisions of the government and military leadership. “They are dissatisfied with Putin and his policies. They are dissatisfied with the defense minister who never served in the military,” the ex-soldier explains. Equipment is outdated, vehicles are outdated and there is little protection against Ukrainian counter-attacks. His own rifle, which he carried in the front, was corroded. Many colleagues wore Ukrainian uniforms because they were more comfortable and of higher quality.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
