Russian Fighters Complain About Poor Training, Limits on Drinking in Video

A video circulating on social appears to show Russian fighters complaining about poor living conditions, inadequate training, and limits on drinking.

The origin of the clip is unclear, but it was shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's foreign ministry, on Thursday.

"'I went to war by myself, they don't teach me anything and then complain that I drink'. The situation with mobilized Russians and the conditions they are in doesn't really change," Gerashchenko captioned the clip.

The 41-second footage purports to show the inadequate living conditions that Russian soldiers are facing.

"This is how we live, in f***ing dugouts. F***ing army," the first soldier, who is behind the camera, begins.

He points his camera to show two tents side-by-side in a structure that appears to be made of logs. Gaps are visible in the structure's roof and walls.

"Sasha, show me your nose," he says, and another soldier emerges from one of the tents.

"What the f***, leave me alone. I came to the war myself," the other soldier says.

"As a volunteer...," the cameraman interjects.

"And I got a report written on me about my drinking. So they don't teach [us] anything, I've only shot twice," Sasha adds.

The first soldier proceeds to point his camera to the rest of the structure.

"Or living in this s**thole, with no doors, no roof. It's snowing, 'just fine'," he says.

It's not the first time footage has emerged that appears to show the poor living conditions of Russian troops.

Julia Davis, the creator of the media watchdog group Russian Media Monitor, posted a video on Twitter on October 16, in which an unknown man who was recently drafted into the Russian military claims to face extremely poor conditions at a camp, with theft and sickness rampant.

"Meanwhile in Russia: take a look at the way the newly-mobilized recruits are being treated," Davis wrote alongside the video. "An unnamed man complains that his shoes, his money, and his mattress got stolen. He says, that's just the way it is. Everyone got sick, because they are barely heating the tents. Grim."

"I don't have either tennis shoes or tactical boots," the soldier says near the start of the clip, before eventually entering a tent that he claims is his living quarters, alongside several other men.

He notes that, despite the tent being big enough to house several people, it has only one stove to provide warmth.

The British Ministry of Defense assessed last month that the "already low" morale of Russian troops will be hit by new challenges as winter weather draws in.

"Forces lacking in winter weather clothing and accommodation are highly likely to suffer from non-freezing cold injuries," the defense ministry said.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Foreign Ministry for comment.

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