Yong Xiong, Todd Symons & Eric Cheung
A Chinese man fighting for the Russian Army claims his superiors locked him in a dark steel-barred pit, with barely enough room to stand, for 21 days. His offense, he said, was a dispute with his commander over lifesaving protective gear.
Michael, not his real name, said he joined Russia’s fight against Ukraine to “have a taste for military life abroad” but after a brutal year on the frontlines is now convinced enlisting in Vladimir Putin’s army was “a mistake.”
His experience in the pit, where the 29-year-old said he could barely lift his head, killed his desire to fight for Moscow and he wants to send a message home to other Chinese nationals contemplating joining Russia’s fight.
“I have to speak out some truths and warn those irrational Chinese – don’t come over here,” he said.
Speaking to CNN by phone, Michael said he was currently recovering from injuries sustained on the battlefield.
“The world’s number two military is a sheer joke,” Michael said, listing subpar equipment, inadequate logistics, mistreatment and “severe corruption” as issues within the military, complaints that have been widely documented since the war began.
No comments:
Post a Comment