One from a ‘blood clot,’ another by suicide The Russian conscripts who died without going to war
Since the start of Russia’s current mobilization, new conscripts have complained about their living conditions prior to being dispatched to the front. Newly drafted soldiers are routinely sent to Ukraine without adequate training, essential gear, or even warm clothing. What’s even more alarming is the number of deaths that occur among these new conscripts even before they leave their home country. We have compiled stories from across Russia that have emerged to date.
Vladivostok
On September 27, the 39-year-old Sergey Fedoseyenko died from cardiac arrest in a Vladivostok police office, as reported by Astra and Mash. He was delivered to the police from the local mobilization office. When Fedoseyenko began to “remonstrate,” the draft officers called the police. Mash claims that he was drunk, but this is not certain. It remains unclear what happened to Fedoseyenko once he was handcuffed and locked in the police vehicle.
Kabardino-Balkaria
On September 27, Boris Shavayev, a resident of Zvezdny, a village in Kabardino-Balkaria, died at one of the region’s army bases. His death was attributed to pulmonary embolism — a blockage of blood flow to the lungs with a detached blood clot. The day before mobilization, he had passed a medical exam and was deemed fit for military service. Shavayev was married and had two children.
Veliky Novgorod
On September 27, the suicide of the 44-year-old Egor Nazarov was noted on Telegram. Nazarov worked in the funeral services, and loved skiing and soccer. According to his friends, Nazarov may have been pushed towards suicide when he received his draft notice.
What Russian conscripts say
Tyumen
On September 28, the body of a new conscript was found at an army base outside of Tyumen. This was first reported by NEFT, based on a source “in the law enforcement.” In its original post, NEFT wrote that the man had committed suicide. Later, it deleted the details, but mentioned that the State Duma Deputy Ernest Valeyev was planning to inspect the base. Another news outlet, 72.ru, cited a source, also “in the law enforcement,” who confirmed receiving a message about the death of a conscript.
Krasnodar
On September 30, the Krasnodar rapper Ivan Petunin, known as Walkie, killed himself, as reported by 93.ru. Before his death, he published a video, in which he connected his decision to commit suicide with mobilization. The rapper explained that he hadn’t received a draft notice, and probably wasn’t fit for service. Still, he said, “I can’t, and don’t want to, take the sin of killing upon my soul. I’m not ready to kill for the sake of any ideal at all.”
Ivan Petunin, also known as Walkie
Vanya Petunin / VKontakte
Omsk
On October 2, a new conscript from Krasnoyarsk died at one of the Omsk army bases. The exact cause of his death remains unknown. One of his friends said that some conscripts at the base were intimidating others, and that conflict was brewing. The wife of the deceased said that her husband was a “patriot,” and had wanted to go to war.
Novosibirsk
On October 2, the 35-year-old Alexander Koltun from Bratsk died at a Novosibirsk mobilization camp. “On September 28, he volunteered to be drafted, and was completely sober. On October 2 he died, supposedly from a heart attack,” said his mother. She added that her son had no history of heart problems and had never seen a heart specialist. “Some people on the phone,” she said, were trying to persuade her that her son died of alcohol poisoning.
On October 3, another new conscript died at the army assembly point set up in the building of the Novosibirsk Higher School of Military Command. Nina Shalabaeva, the regional Human Rights Commissioner, said that he died in his sleep. She did not specify the cause.
Sverdlovsk Region
Three conscripts died in the first week of this October at the Sverdlovsk regional training center run by the Defense Ministry. “One conscript died from a heart attack, the other committed suicide. The third was written off and sent home, where he died at once from liver cirrhosis,” said the State Duma deputy for the region, Maxim Ivanov. The relatives of the man who supposedly died from “cirrhosis” do not believe this, suspecting instead that he’d been severely beaten.
Penza
On October 5, a 41-year-old man died during the drills at the Penza army training center. According to PenzaInform, he had a heart attack.