Chechen forces accused of deserting conscripts at Ukrainian border
- I am a conscript. I was stationed near the village of Svierdlikovo. At a neighbouring post, there was Akhmat. When they surrounded us, they fled because Kadyrov instructed the Chechens not to be captured, says 22-year-old Yevgeny Kovylkin from the Belgorod region, who was guarding the Russian border on the day Ukraine breached it.
The recording was published by the Ukrainian station TSN. The Russian independent channel Astra is also reporting on the story.
Kadyrovites abandoned the conscripts
22-year-old conscript Yevgeny Kovylkin from the Belgorod region was serving at the post near the village of Svierdlikovo on the day Ukraine attacked the Kursk region, right by the border. The man, who was captured with taped hands and blindfolded eyes, testified that Akhmat units were positioned at the neighbouring post.
Akhmat is a special rapid reaction unit formed within the Russian National Guard. The unit is named after the first president of the Chechen Republic in Russia, Akhmat Kadyrov.
- When they surrounded us, they fled because Kadyrov instructed the Chechens not to be captured. Kadyrov said: "Chechens do not surrender," and at any threat of being captured, they flee, says the 22-year-old conscript in the recording.
- What threat were they fleeing from? That's why they captured us, asks the conscript.
Kovylkin's mother confirmed in an interview with the Astra channel that her son was indeed serving in the military in the Kursk region. She had not seen the published recording, nor had she been informed that her son had been captured. The last time she spoke to him was two weeks ago.
Svierdlikovo is located about 1 kilometre from the border with Ukraine.
Kadyrov's units under "fire"
Propaganda Russian military channels accuse Chechen special forces of making a "deal" with the Ukrainians at the border of the Kursk region, reports "The Moscow Times".
"Units of the Chechen special forces Akhmat, guarding the state border, conspired with the Armed Forces of Ukraine and deliberately let them through during the invasion of the Kursk region", stated military blogger Alex Parker.
Parker claims that Akhmat knew precisely where and when the Ukrainians would attack.
"They simply agreed with the heraldries (as Russian bloggers call Ukrainian soldiers) and made some sort of mutual non-aggression pact," believes Parker, whose entry is cited by "The Moscow Times".
Earlier, on 6 August, Russian military correspondent Yuri Kotenok stated that a week before the invasion of the Kursk region, Akhmat soldiers in Sudzha performed a lezginka (a traditional Caucasian folk dance), shooting their weapons into the air. Kotenok emphasised that the brunt of the attack was taken on by units manned by conscripts and assisted by border guards, not specially trained units like Akhmat.
Meanwhile, the commander of Chechen special forces Akhmat, General Apti Alaudinov, stated that the Ukrainian army breached Russian territory because they bypassed their positions.
