A Russian veteran has been jailed after threatening to ‘tell the truth’ about soldiers being mass murdered and tortured on the frontline.
Aleksandr Lunin delivered a stark message to Vladimir Putin,predicting Russia’s army would ‘turn its weapons’ towards the Kremlin unless its concerns were heard.
He has since been detained for at least 11 days after being found guilty of ‘displaying extremist or Nazi symbols’,TVP World reported.
Lunin,39,used a viral video to request a live televised meeting with the Russian president in order to ‘tell the truth about what is happening to our country right now’.
He claimed soldiers were beginning to defy orders to carry out ‘stupid or suicidal’ acts – and were being tortured for their dissent.
In a clip viewed more than 12 million times in 24 hours,Lunin said he was relaying a message having spoken to high ranking officals at the Ministry of Defense.
War veteran Aleksandr Lunin used a viral clip to warn Putin he faces a revolt from his forces if refused to speak to him in a televised interview (Picture: social media/east2west news)He said: ‘At the moment,dozens,hundreds,thousands of our soldiers are sitting in dungeons,punished by their commanders.‘They are sitting there rotting,being subjected to torture and violence by the so-called “Gestapo”.‘They are there because they refused to carry out stupid,suicidal orders.‘They are there because they refused to hand over their financial assets and in the end they are eliminated – declared missing.’The former serviceman was among volunteers on the frontline of Putin’s ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine in 2022.However he has since returned to his home in southwestern Russia.Referring to the Russian dictator by his first names,he continued: ‘Vladimir Vladimirovich,please take note of this. Invite me for a meeting. The consequences could be very serious.‘If in the future I do not come to the Kremlin and speak live on air next to you,the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin.
Lunin said Russian soldiers were beginning to defy instructions from commanders to carry out ‘stupid or suicidal orders’ (Picture: Reuters)‘I’m only passing on the message. That is all.’Lunin has since appealed his conviction at a court in Russia’s southwestern Voronezh region,but the Kremlin said it had yet to review the footage of his clip.First-time offenders found guilty of ‘displaying extremist symbols’ can be locked up for up to 15 days.It comes as prime minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted Ukraine was ‘holding strong’ against Russian attacks.In an address setting out the UK’s Defence Infrastructure Plan,he said: ‘They are increasingly able to push Russia back on the battlefield.’He added there were ‘clear signs’ that the mood in Moscow was shifting as a result of Putin’s war and its toll on Russian economy.The Kremlin has announced from today the closure of seven railway crossings from Finland,Estonia and Latvia.
Putin has repeatedly sought to crush dissent amid reports the mood is shifting against him in Moscow (Picture: EPA)Since the war began in 2022,the lines have ceased to be major trade routes,but the suspension of movement of both passengers and goods is another sign of Putin severing relations with his neighbours.The president has also promised to tackle fuel shortages across the country caused by Ukrainian drone strikes on oil infrastructure,which have seen drivers fighting at petrol pumps.Last week he suggested he may ban diesel exports,as supplies in some regions,including Crimea,have almost run dry.Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at .For more stories like this,check our news page.
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