The heavy cost of a long war for Russia’s ‘best of the best’ - BBC Newsnight

The 331st Guards Parachute Regiment, regarded as "the best of the best" in Russia's armed forces, has been at the forefront of the main battles in the Kremlin's campaign against Ukraine.
Often called the Kostroma Airborne Regiment, it has been the subject of investigations by Newsnight since shortly after last February's invasion. These have revealed the price paid by the regiment and its home community.
The programme had confirmed 39 fatalities by April last year, 62 by late July, and now the toll has reached 94.
So with a rising death toll, how is this so-called "elite" regiment of paratroopers - and their family and friends back home - coping with Vladimir Putin's long war?
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Website: www.bbc.co.uk/newsnight
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[@rockfella1377]

"What is your goal?" "To stop NATO from expanding." "And how will you accomplish this?" "By giving NATO enormous incentive to expand." ''And now Finland joined NATO and we have a 1270 km long border with NATO''' Great job, Vladdy. Absolutely great. You remain a master strategist.

[@littlebigfish9205]

He's not really the brightest of the lot...

[@Middle-Eastt]

Ukraine is much more of a threat to Russia than Finland, Finland joining NATO is not really a big deal. Those neighbouring Russia will never allow NATO use their territories against Russia because their will face more of the fire.

[@allbalasar6957]

@@Middle-Eastt Finland neighbours Russia, Finland literally sits next to its second largest city ST Petersburg and now has added a force of god only knows how many artillery pieces to its arsenal. So got to be honest it is a pretty good threat.

[@crazycat1232]

They will destroy finland as well after they finish off ukriane.

[@WHS_reviews]

@@crazycat1232 : go home Ivan, your 50 IQ statements are of no interest to anyone here.

[@Chunky246]

Sadly these men won't be remembered. This isn't a Great Patriotic War. They are dying for no reason.

[@Scope1010]

They are fighting for freedom for the people of the Donbas who for many years were killed but you hypocrites were all silent and blind.....Russia is the only Country left in Europe left with a rich culture tradition and long religious values....sadly the west has lost that way back.....a child can insult your parents man think he can be a woman and a woman think she can be a man the west is gone.

[@bertjilk3456]

There's nothing sad about it. Many of them are/were war criminals, and deserve everything they get.

[@karlanthonybarraca1641]

Yep. Modern day russian invasion are more akin to hitler invasion of the soviet union

[@joemoody7440]

😂😂 sad how propagandized you people are and the little you understand this conflict and Russia. Those people have been watching as a neo-nazis fascist coup regime butchered the ethnic Russian population of the Donbass for 9 years just because you don't see the reality and there for have no context of the situation your ignorant naive opinion of this war and these soldiers is laughable!

[@gingerwingerful]

Imagine and also the fact that criminals were conscripted that's what makes the whole situation worst

[@timba3248]

An unjustified war. Wasting lives of people for no good reasons. This is so heartbreaking !!!

[@jordanchristie3617]

calling it unjustified shows the lack of knowledge in the subject

[@donteattidepods]

​@@jordanchristie3617Would you like to explain how this war is necessary.

[@jordanchristie3617]

@@donteattidepods that depends on the reference point of the question, why is it necessary for Russia or why is it necessary for America or ukraine

[@donteattidepods]

@@jordanchristie3617 I was thinking of Russia.

[@slickysan]

@@jordanchristie3617 The war was necesarry for the civilized world to really see ruSSia's true form, an impotent paper tiger. It was necesarry for the civilized world to be remembered what an unchecked psycho in charge of a superpower can do, and unite us all against their reincarnation of the 3.5 Reich and their savage barbarian orc horde. Thank God the Ukrainian spartans stand up to it and the entire civilized world thanks them for it. Get rekd, orcs.

[@themastermagicians2745]

Young lives lost because of one man’s greed and the people who blindly followed him 😞

[@blixerie9317]

it is not just because of one man

[@jasperchance3382]

@@blixerie9317 One man ordered the invasion, so shut up.

[@bits_for_bytes]

@@blixerie9317 right, it’s a nation of sheep following one man.

[@Grimeyhoob]

This is all fake news. We in Russia are living in heaven and singing and dancing everyday because of Putin who is our god and saviour. We eat the 💩 from Putin’s behind because it helps us stay happy and strong. I even had Putin open his two cheeks and release holy gas on my face. This is what every Russian man, woman and child dreams of.

[@fgm1197]

It's been like this for hundreds of years... Those animals never learn.

[@antiapatic]

0:18 "Is really close from here to the enemy positions" enemy positions = hospitals, kindergardens, schools, civilians

[@phild3936]

But they are fighting Ukrainian 'nationalists' (*) you know (/s). (*) By normal people known as soldiers fighting off an invader.

[@alexsilent5603]

Indeed. Ukrainian nazis hide in every school, hospital, kindergarten... they need those civilians as living shields.

[@roland11110010101]

it depends. sometimes they shoot deliberately at civilians. sometimes for fun. sometimes randomly because they are tards who don't know ballistics.

[@gfan83]

ofcource all that building near "frontlines" are still used as schools and kindergardens. Ukrainian continue to send there kids

[@hahtos]

Marching down the red square is a bit different than attacking an independent nation with millions of highly motivated people willing to die for their country being decisively more and more supplied by the best Western equipment Slava Ukraini

[@tomf4087]

Mainly defensive equipment. There has been a lot of caution in not being seen to intentionally escalate. Tanks will be in battle soon though.

[@Itried20takennames]

Yeah…Russia’s military strategy is “have enough soldiers and lies/propaganda on how “strong” our military is, and if we attack much smaller countries, they will just give in.” But if you fight, you see the incompetence, corruption and sorry state of the actual Russian military, and that it is a group of untrained, unprofessional thugs that are only a threat to the local civilians.

[@moriscondo5511]

I've seen that Russian parade a few times, thinking how better off the world would be if some huge bomb went off during it.

[@Parabellum-oe3sw]

20% of Ukraine is destroyed, a third of the population is internally or externally displaced, according to the Washington post vom 3/12/23 as many as 120 000 Ukrainians have been killed or wounded, according to Ukraine as many as 160 000 Russians have been killed or wounded, war damages are at 700 bn according to Denys shmyhal in January 2023 which is 400% of Ukraines GDP in 2021, if reports are true Russia has kidnapped 200 000 kids and moved them to Russia, removing even more people from the future workforce and genetic pool, the longer the war takes the higher the chances of people who fled the country staying where they are, if they return they’ll return to ruins in the east, the war in Yugoslavia ended 20 years ago yet the war is still visible, as Ukraine was poor even before the war there’s no incentive for foreigners to go there. Ukraine’s basically dead even if they win the war. The average Ukrainian woman gives birth to 1.4 kids while minorities in Russia which Putin is using as soldiers have 2-3 kids on a regular basis

[@Loki1191]

Stalin held parades even when the Nazis were in sight of the Kremlin’s spires. It is time to end this empire once and for all it has brought enough death to the world already. It must end. The last thing that dies in the death throes of an empire is its arrogance.

[@Jollyva]

This is absolutely first class reporting. Bravo to Mark and the team.

[@richsackett3423]

With footage from three months ago. Go team.

[@user-zz2of4zk6b]

You do not understand. Look at the right upper corner of the screen. This is only translation of the Russian TV reportage. I can agree with you, - Russian TV is much honest than propagandistic BBC.

[@Wolf-hh4rv]

Not the “Great Patriotic War” … the War of Shame” invading another country

[@Maelli535]

And they're still using the memory of over 80 years ago to cover up Russian deficiencies - just like the Soviets did right up to the end.

[@Richiesrant]

If Russians are upset by the losses, they can always go home any time. Nobody is stopping them from leaving.

[@dpelpal]

HIMARS is stopping them from advancing _or_ retreating lol

[@ibrahimtouman2279]

if Russian soldiers go home as you say, then who will protect Donbass people from the Nazis?!!

[@fordwrc2006]

Ok then - What happens if all the Russians go back to Russia and Return all the land and Ukraine stops killing Russian speaking Ukrainians in the Donbass and then there is peace. But then a few years down the line NATO invades Russia and breaks it up into multiple regions. That will mean that everything Putin is doing now is completely justified? Agree or Agree to disagree?

[@solomonike1709]

@@dpelpal more propaganda please, jokes on you buddy 😂😂😂

[@dpelpal]

@@solomonike1709 Unlike me, HIMARS doesn't play jokes. Just ask your buddies in _Makiivka._ 😏

[@dpelpal]

Putin Feb 2022: _"Kyiv in threeeee daaayyyys!"_ Putin April 2023: We must protect mother russia from total annhilation 😅

[@PatrickMJr]

History repeats itself.. Hitler said Moscow in 3 months...

[@pwp8737]

sounds like an echo from the 1940's; Germans marching in Paris in 1940, French marching in Berlin in 1945

[@sshender3773]

Alas, there is nothing funny about that. We can meme all we want, but it won't bring back the lives lost, maimed and brutalized by the ruzzians.

[@kobeyheberling6172]

This is great journalism. It’s finally nice to understand how actual Russians are seeing this war.

[@dextercool]

There are plenty of channels showing what Russians think - try 1420.

[@huebdoo]

I have followed this series since your first installment .. it is excellent work.

[@keithbusick6859]

No honor guard ? I sorry for their losses but there no honor in taking someone else's home country or life or liberty

[@MacAnthonyVaughn]

Hi there! How are you doing and I hope you're having a great day! I was going through my KZbin when I saw your nice profile, I couldn't get my eyes of it so I decided to add you up as my lovely friend.

[@DRKrust492]

​@@user-si2dr1pn3p It's not the 'Zelenskyy regime.' He was elected, as was the president before him. Putin rules by election fraud, political intimidation, bribery, theft of staye funds and murder. Russia today is emulating Nazi Germany of the '30s and '40s. Russophiles today are Nazi sympathizers.

[@banteo]

@@user-si2dr1pn3p Go and sing at another table, boy!

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

@@banteo hahaha! I understand))). You only love Zelensky's lying songs)))).

[@temich1985]

like poor Afghani or Iraqi villagers too?

[@user-cb1gy1tj1t]

The more of "the-best-of-the-best" are eliminated, the more of Moscow's hubris is humbled by a defeat, the more lasting peace in Europe and elsewhere in the world will be.

[@mr.n4801]

Ugomonis' porosya

[@pessi6185]

What planet are you living on??? Oh yeah planet "BBC make believe," 🤡

[@inesdamonteines3985]

Natural selection is not over...all the stupid ones are being erased.And they are proud about it.Everyone happy!🎉

[@brentjamescollins9731]

I think Russia will remain a similar threat to the security of not only europe but the rest of the world for at least many decades after Russia is defeated in the current Russia/Ukraine war because Russia's obvious imperialist ambitions mean it will try again with Ukraine or another european countries unless made incapable of posing any future threat, so it is vitally important to ensure Russia cannot ever doing anything similar to Ukraine ever again! Brent Collins.

[@briant5685]

@@brentjamescollins9731 stop molesting the word the rest of the world will you ''russia is friends to so many outside the west so stop wet dreaming

[@plr2473]

This is a great follow up to the original BBC report on the 331st. Keep up the good work.

[@savannaha5038]

7:40 "Just like there are stories about the great patriotic war, I hope there will be stories written about our guys" I do not envy how she will feel when she realises that her wish will come true, but in the opposite way as she imagines it.

[@supervid8871]

"He was so young and bla bla bla" let's be honest, he was occupant who invaded foreign independent state

[@ZivineYT]

Let’s be honest, young people are dying. Doesn’t matter what side, it’s just a fact. The fact is young people shouldn’t be dying in conflicts in 2023. Have some sympathy even if you don’t like their side in this war.

[@pvang9334]

So should we go up to the graves of iraq veterans that died and say the same too? Or go up to a disabled iraq veteran and say thats what you get for invading a foreign country?

[@davidsummers4287]

@@ZivineYT Let's be honest. They are the bad guys. War crimes, eh? Or do you forget that part?

[@alexzab8018]

​​@@ZivineYT ruzzians can leave my country any time they want. But they don't. They destroy everything wherever they are. Slava Ukraini!

[@ejtattersall156]

@@ZivineYT I'm sorry, but no, Russia must bleed.

[@Cadmus9501]

An observation: One man's hero is another man's villian. In war there is only death and suffering for everyone.

[@raymondtan7920]

God bless Ukraine. Slava Ukraine. Support from Malaysia.

[@thebodykeepsthescore2828]

God clearly ain't blessing anyone

[@notYaroslav]

Героям Слава! Thank you, we appreciate it.

[@georgekings680]

​@@thebodykeepsthescore2828i shit and piss on ruzzian graves

[@public.public]

The stories written about the Russian military, all victims of Putin's atrocious unprovoked war, will not be flattering. The deliberate targetting of civilians, torture, and murder of Ukraine civilians will never be forgotten.

[@mickser101]

You're high on Ukrainian propaganda pal, go lie down

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

look for real sources of information. All these crimes are committed not by Russians, but by the Ukrainian military.

[@moestietabarnak]

"The deliberate targetting of civilians, torture, and murder of Ukraine civilians" BY THE NAZI KIEV REGIME "will never be forgotten."

[@fdkfskfkvmk441254741]

This is definately not an "unprovoked war", NATO has been provoking Russia for decades.

[@truthray2885]

Russian military have been beasts for generations, and will be beasts until the end of time. They think the Nazis gave them license for any outrage in the name of "defense." And they have become what they hated.

[@LB-oj1kr]

They fight and die for one man’s ideology, not for the Russian people.

[@enescustovic1883]

They fight for more than 50% of the people that support this war.

[@robertchmielecki2580]

I wouldn't even call it ideology. It's a dictator defending his own personal interest - money and power. Without fostering tribal instincts like this in his citizens there's no keeping them in control, history proves.

[@lashlarue7924]

It's not just the ideology of Putin though; it's the entire Russian nation that is the problem. This is an entire nation of Machiavellian cynics and psychopaths who believe that it is OK to murder your neighbor and steal his house and rape his children. The problem is not limited to Putin.

[@lashlarue7924]

@@liltrip6511 The US never intended to annex Iraq and make it the 51'st state. Do not make false equivalencies here.

[@rvarsigfusson6163]

@@lashlarue7924 The war in Iraq did start on a lie..... no more no less..... no big difference between war in Ukraine and the one in Iraq....... mass killing without purpose....... and Afghanistan almost the same shix.

[@doingtime20]

I love them writing those words in the missile, as if they are the ones who have been offended or something. Really? Aren't you marching into someone else's land? People are insane, the stories they tell themselves are astounding...

[@dontmindmepls3738]

a fantastic piece on a very interesting topic. thanks, bbc!

[@rickhunter6667]

They are actually the worst of the worst.

[@seanobrien2621]

scum of scum more like it

[@WestSideGorilla1980]

And those "vehicles" are worse.

[@lar9135]

You still woulden go fight them or say anything to there face.

[@baileygregory9192]

Your not a very nice person

[@cobusbrits2]

Thanks for the indepth report on a Russian fighting group. Amazing how one town can suffer so much loss and not speak up.

[@MultiYlin]

Lets talk abou the Ukrainian losses which BBC is being a long time pussy to cover (or better using the colorful words: the fog of the war ... Lviv Cemeteries is a good starter) 94 death and probably 50 critically injured Putin still has a lot to go on ... I will wait until China calls Ukraine or Ukraine calls China ... that is the time to place the bet on By the way, GOP control congress is not going to pay for war in Ukraine: this year interest expense for US is 100B more than last year and the Ukrainian war so far costs only 60B of which US contribute more than 40B ... and the US economy expand only 1.5% or in tax revenue sense, 70B can be bring in but it barely covers the expense of rising interest. Continuing support at the current interest rate or potentially higher considering another OPEC+ cuts with more countries ditching US dollar as payment tool, the US deficit is going to well above 1.5T

[@MWENDA-vv5im]

They know what their men are fighting for. Russians are not cowards. They will fight for what they believe is right at whatever the cost.

[@Yankeepride03]

@@MWENDA-vv5im Cannon fodder 💀

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

Ukrainian artillerymen attacked a dugout near Avdiyivka, where there were APU militants who had surrendered to the Russian military, all of them were killed, the Russian Defense Ministry reports on its Telegram channel. According to the agency, the Southern Group of Russian troops on April 5 conducted active military operations to capture the enemy’s stronghold. Late in the evening, the commander of the Ukrainian radio communications unit announced that he and his subordinates were ready to voluntarily lay down their arms. The RF Armed Forces ceased fire and allowed 14 Ukrainian soldiers to leave, after which they were placed in a dugout until the morning. However, at night, the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine opened heavy fire on him, firing about 300 shells, as a result, those who surrendered were destroyed. Andrey Krivozub, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who was previously captured, said that the Ukrainian military surrendered in Artemivsk due to the lack of support and lack of ammunition. He said that he served in the 93rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian troops, in a reconnaissance company, and was taken prisoner on March 26 in Artemovsk by fighters from the Wagner PMC.

[@danielvilliers612]

@@MWENDA-vv5im Not the first time people have been mislead or brainwashed. Generally after defeat that people really take notice of what happened.

[@christopherwang4392]

As explained by Battle Order in his KZbin video "The Weakness of Russian VDV Airborne Force Structure", a big reason why the VDV have gotten chewed up in Ukraine is because they are often misused as conventional mechanized infantry, a task in which the VDV's thinly-armored BMDs and undersized infantry units are poorly suited for.

[@carlosmedina1281]

Yup, airborne units are best used to quickly seize key strategic objectives while waiting or regular army units to arrive. Using them as conventional infantry just results in Russia losing skilled and battle-hardened troops for no reason.

[@bob-zi1eb]

They tried to air assault hostomel airport at the start of the invasion and were repelled. They had to come back the next day with tanks by that stage the Ukrainians had made the runways unusable. Total,waste of time. Also multiple mi8s transporting paras to the airport were shot down. The Ukrainians also shot down an alligator during the initial assault with a manpads. It was a complete and utter clusterf..

[@CrisIsHereToo]

Incredible work, BBC! This is the very rare type of work that makes me think that good journalism isn't dead

[@ronmac1832]

Journalism is alive and well! People need to realize that Fox News is not journalism, but simply junk food for racists.

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Brainbaskit]

It's not rare at all if you pull your head out of your ass. Journalism is not "good" if it resonates with your preheld beliefs, nor is it "bad" if it goes against your preheld beliefs.

[@joemoody7440]

Are you beening sarcastic?

[@bbcisaids6727]

Are u mentally ill

[@sebmez923]

I am not touched by crocodile’s tears. These families have zero reflection capabilities on what their men died for, and they will raise the next generation to be as amorphous as their dads. Crying and nice pictures will not erase the fact that they were accomplice in a colonial invasion of a sovereign state… they have nobody to blame but themselves, if ever they develop a sense of responsibility. Slava Ukraini.

[@commanderdon4300]

The Russians were lied to all the way through, everything is hidden from them and very few of them know the truth, they think they are fighting a just war. You shouldn't hate the Russian people, they are victims of Putin's regime just as much as Ukraine is.

[@Tobi-ln9xr]

I am from Germany and our grandfathers, great grandfathers and great-great grandfathers were villainized because they fought and died for their country. It doesn’t make their fight less heroic than that of the allied soldiers just because they were the aggressors of just because they fought under a different ideology. They fought and died for their country because it was their duty and most of Germanys soldiers even had to spend ten years in Siberian gulags after the war. And I don’t think that American, British, Canadian or Australian mothers have any reflection capabilities on what their sons died for in Iraq or Afghanistan. It was also a "colonial invasion of a sovereign state“ and although you can’t compare the scale of the Ukrainian war with the Afghanistan/Iraq war, the soldiers also died there for absolutely nothing…

[@foilhat1138]

@@Tobi-ln9xr Hey more whataboutism what a shocker

[@ericdenamur]

absolutly ! Vive l'Ukraine !

[@jonatand2045]

​@@Tobi-ln9xr That's why it's important to remember that all those soldiers are all just humans that can be infected with bad ideas with propaganda. The truth must spread.

[@rasa960]

Many thanks for this interesting documentary!❤

[@shannonstraughan4383]

Thank you, BBC. We don't see much from "the other side". We pray that the Russians will go back home and fix their own country's problems. Ukraine was doing just fine before Putin ordered this horrific war. Long live Ukraine and glory to the heroes! Much love and respect from America. We stand with you now and always. 🇺🇦💙💛💪💪💪💗✌✌

[@Zman44444]

As cruel as it sounds? I genuinely don’t feel sad for the families in Russia. Had these men died back at home in some cataclysm? Sure, I’d feel something. But the level of inhumanity, level of destruction and lack of empathy coming from the country supersedes any sad emotion. Leave Ukraine. Slava Ukraine. Edit: I’m Latvian. My country has had countless offenses against us by the Soviet Union. Mass deportation and exterminations. When we gained independence, Russia took a chunk of our territory away from us and let us go. The modern Russian state still threatens us with nuclear annihilation and uses Latvia to launder money. Ukraine is a country that has had the most extreme atrocities occur due to Russian hands, historically and recently. How many times does a country have to exterminate people before we can safely say that they are doing it yet again? In my historical, cultural narrative? It’s literally been Russian domination and subjection, deportation, extermination, Russification. For like the past 70 years. Even before then. If all these countries around me have scars similar if not worse that my country’s? Am I really dehumanizing if I don’t feel bad for the people who are acting inhuman themselves? Genuinely. *EDIT TWO: I DO NOT LOOK FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST RUSSIAN PEOPLE. I DO NOT HOLD ANY HATE TOWARDS THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE. BUT I DISREGARD SADNESS FOR RUSSIAN FAMILIES THAT HAVE HAD SONS KILL UKRAINIAN CITIZENS. SORRY MOM. YOUR SON WAS A WAR CRIMINAL!*

[@billybonds4449]

Spot on Sir!

[@Thomas.Deverell]

Agree 100%. No invader deserves compassion.

[@rvarsigfusson6163]

The level of being brain washed or rather brain damaged in ruzzia is unbelievable...... and willing to send your own people/relatives to this meaningless nonsenses to kill your neighbor is horrifying.

[@ylstorage7085]

Very good, dehumanizing your enemy, you are ready to go to murder some Russians, may be some civilians too, they don't deserve empathy, they are not humans. All those Nazis, were they all psychopaths? or may be more likely they were told that they were performing a noble cause?

[@Zeitgeist_Dron]

you don't feel sad because your are a person of the right persuation with views and a ideology from the 30s

[@focofox37]

They died in service to a criminal regime... I think worst of the worst is more accurate

[@user-uo9yb2qx8z]

That doesn’t make them bad people, they didn’t have the information we have.

[@anushkasekkingstad1300]

Russians are incapable of co existing peacefully.

[@ericdenamur]

@@user-uo9yb2qx8z who's fault ?

[@thomasfalcon6350]

All russians are criminals

[@eugeneczerwinskyj3354]

The ruskies died because they are dumb real dumb and wrong

[@kevinfidler6287]

Thank you for covering the human side of this terrible conflict.

[@AlfredJPLin]

Heavy casualties of Russian servicemen prove that real “Best of the Best” are Ukrainian warriors!

[@billybonds4449]

Spot on Alfred. I was going to make that same point. 'Best of the Best' my arse. For that title, look no further than the Ukranian warriors who have sent them Russians home in body bags.

[@ivanfox2028]

@@schokobar4133 Source being the hole in your butt?

[@CD-lp3fh]

​@@schokobar4133 lol 5000 confirmed dead?got any reliable source to prove that ivan?

[@lar9135]

Well until we see Ukrainian casualties numbers we will not know.

[@kraken_legend2133]

@@billybonds4449 lol wake up from ur western propoganda, ukraine has 200k causalties if not more

[@darkbendover]

4:44 that dude died like a hero while stealing a washing machine.

[@lissettelopez8331]

In reality he was a Hero. If you got a whiff of the boyz back in the trenches. A washing machine was worth its weight in gold.

[@iainwindows9533]

The guy falling at 3:01 🤣"The best of the best"

[@Victorkapz]

Lol

[@FuqYu]

Best of the Chuckle Brothers impersonation brigade

[@franklinnose]

Oh man! Didn't see that! 😮😂

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

The Zelenskiy regime commits atrocities against its own people. Ukrainian artillerymen attacked a dugout near Avdiyivka, where there were APU militants who had surrendered to the Russian military, all of them were killed, the Russian Defense Ministry reports on its Telegram channel. According to the agency, the Southern Group of Russian troops on April 5 conducted active military operations to capture the enemy’s stronghold. Late in the evening, the commander of the Ukrainian radio communications unit announced that he and his subordinates were ready to voluntarily lay down their arms. The RF Armed Forces ceased fire and allowed 14 Ukrainian soldiers to leave, after which they were placed in a dugout until the morning. However, at night, the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine opened heavy fire on him, firing about 300 shells, as a result, those who surrendered were destroyed. Andrey Krivozub, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who was previously captured, said that the Ukrainian military surrendered in Artemivsk due to the lack of support and lack of ammunition. He said that he served in the 93rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian troops, in a reconnaissance company, and was taken prisoner on March 26 in Artemovsk by fighters from the Wagner PMC.

[@ChenBeixuancultivatingnshieeet]

you weren't supposed to see that, meet me on the 25th floor, come alone

[@brianquigley1940]

Excellent reporting. So sad that so many people are dying for pure ego...

[@peaceformula5830]

What was happening in Ukraine in 2014 in Donbass?

[@moderndemon84]

@@peaceformula5830 What was happening?

[@Cotictimmy]

Mark Urban is one of the few BBC journalists I can watch theses days. I remember his Newsnight Gulf War reports from 1990.

[@actoraa]

"It is well that war is so terrible, otherwise we should grow too fond of it." Robert E. Lee

[@stephaniemurria5534]

Yes. He said it well.

[@aceofspades5786]

14 MIGs on the way from Poland 💙💛

[@billdozer969]

At 3:00, dude slips on dry concrete. Best of the best 😂

[@benjaminbode]

This series is excellent.

[@ratbatnufftime2861]

Hmmmmm.........................seems even the best of the best can't best Ukraine. Russia really believed the Ukranians were weak and infeeior....................boy, were they wrong!!!

[@Sonnypaul1]

More of this kind of serious and informative journalism 👏

[@briant5685]

serves nothing in russia slava russia

[@Chunky246]

@@briant5685 These men are dying for no reason, and will continue to as Russia is losing badly.

[@callumbush1]

It's just propaganda.

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

@@Chunky246 hahaha! Is Russia losing? You will be very surprised when you find out the truth.

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

@@Chunky246 The Zelenskiy regime commits atrocities against its own people. Ukrainian artillerymen attacked a dugout near Avdiyivka, where there were APU militants who had surrendered to the Russian military, all of them were killed, the Russian Defense Ministry reports on its Telegram channel. According to the agency, the Southern Group of Russian troops on April 5 conducted active military operations to capture the enemy’s stronghold. Late in the evening, the commander of the Ukrainian radio communications unit announced that he and his subordinates were ready to voluntarily lay down their arms. The RF Armed Forces ceased fire and allowed 14 Ukrainian soldiers to leave, after which they were placed in a dugout until the morning. However, at night, the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine opened heavy fire on him, firing about 300 shells, as a result, those who surrendered were destroyed. Andrey Krivozub, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who was previously captured, said that the Ukrainian military surrendered in Artemivsk due to the lack of support and lack of ammunition. He said that he served in the 93rd separate mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian troops, in a reconnaissance company, and was taken prisoner on March 26 in Artemovsk by fighters from the Wagner PMC.

[@Tony-xh7ip]

They need to make a deal before this continues to get out of hand

[@heikodankel3245]

There is a lot to do in Kostomar (at the cemetery).

[@ForelliBoy]

I wasn't expecting a Part 3, and some sick part of me is looking forward to Part 4

[@Spaceballz123]

Russian woman "God, how many more death notification shall we receive?" God "umm leave Ukraine" 😂

[@senseofthecommonman]

Anybody thinking they are just doing their duty please remember one thing. The soldiers that input coordinates into a missile system knowing it is being aimed at a civilian target are every bit as complicit as pootin himself.

[@Mike25654]

War is incredibly ugly. They are still serving their country though. US Special Forces used to kill every farmer they came across in their missions in order to stay covert, who of us cared? This comes from a Western European that condemns every form of aggression. But I have become so sick of the hypocrisy most people take part in. We (the Western Countries) have no interest in helping Ukraine. The only reason we are giving them resources is because we are happy to hurt Russia or China geopolitically withoug having to shed our own blood.

[@markbrisec3972]

I've always been interested in military stuff, especially in weapons development, effects and especially comparison between the Russian/Chinese systems and Western made weapons... Given that I know more on the subject than an average man/woman, I was never concerned with Russian weapons and their military's capabilities.. But oh boy, even I and people like me, were flabergasted and stunned by the performance of the Russian military. They've massively under performed in every concievable metric and way the military can even potentially screw up.. From the "famed" FSB intelligence agency pre invasion preparation to the performance of every service of the Russian military (non existent Air force, confused and uneffective Army, laughable Navy) to political decisions of Putin, to a complete breakdown of what's usually been the Russian strong point - propaganda and taking control over the narrative. Again, I wasn't so surprised that the "celebrated and world beating" S-400 SAM system didn't work as advertised, but I wasn't prepared to see the level of mishaps in basic military procedures, especially the logistics. Russian military couldn't follow their troops with fuel, food and water. Their command and control system is abysmal. What can you say about the military whose generals come to the front line and give orders via regular mobile phone apps? What can you say about the Army that was left hungry on the third day of the invasion so they had to rob grocery stores to get supplies (with an additional gain of taking toillete bowls and sending them back home).? What can you say about the supposed 2nd most powerful Air Force in the world being unable of enforcing a complete air superiority over Ukraine after 14 months of fighting? What can you say about that same Air force that is incapable of detecting, tracking, engaging and finally destroying a single military convoy that is bringing thousands of tonnes of military assets from the Polish border all the way to the Eastern Ukraine.? All in all Russia doesn't have "the best of the best" cause these kind of units, although better trained than a platoon of Wagner jailbirds, are still low on morale since they don't know why and what for they are fighting.

[@tomf4087]

Even if they had better equipment, they still would have taken a hiding. The difference in morale and motivation between the 2 armies is too great. Ukraine is fighting for their lives and existence. The atrocities will have just strengthened and made Ukraine more determined. Finally, corruption will be endemic in Russia. They thought money went on improvements and updates to military. It was siphoned away for yachts and London properties. They will have kept a lot back in case ww3 does start.

[@calvinguan3256]

Well, technically the 2nd most powerful Air Force is US Navy.

[@rogerwilco2]

Quantity still has a quality all of its own. This is still Russia's war to lose. We are not helping Ukraine enough, Russia still has much more resources, they are only failing because political reasons are causing them to make stupid mistakes. Russia might be fighting its last war though, given how much they are wasting both in their inheritance from the USSR as their future generations.

[@Will-ql2fl]

I think they are elite troops compared to others but is not because theirs training nor equipment destroying them. More likely their commander's orders and preparation.

[@Iwasavictimofesotericfascism]

They all have those equipement and they can't even properly conduct Combined arms🤦‍♂️👉🇷🇺🤡

[@chrisberdin]

This is an update aired months ago, I hope this Russia’s best of the best regiment was reduced to rubble.. Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@bobigorg1665]

And how many Ukrainian regiments were destroyed, looking at the number of fresh graves in Kiev, Kharkov, Nikolaev?

[@TheBlazersfan22]

Many of the dead ukraine. Killed a crap load of nazis from russia.

[@peteratgoogle2241]

Excellent report. Good to see one of these instead of the click-baits.

[@jojolafrite90]

Clickbait world. Very, very, very, very, very (I don't have enough very to illustrate the point, sadly) sad.

[@davis_8082]

03:01 that guy slipping just made me crack up a bit lmaooo

[@oanamanole9005]

Sadly, this is their punishment for not being as brave as the ones who rebelled.

[@rizzorizzo2311]

Lol it’s also funny how the Russian soldier was bragging about being properly outfitted. When I deployed to combat I didn’t once have to brag about the kit they sent me with because I knew they were going to give me whatever I wanted. Hell, I ended up getting way more shit than I needed, it was kind of a headache to keep up with. I deployed 3 times and wore a different camo pattern each time and I had 3 entire issues of desert/ACU/ and multi cam gear.

[@lar9135]

Ooooh lucky you..Pitty you got kicked out the Countries you deployed too, so all the gear but no idea.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

The 331st Fertilizer Regiment . . . mindless serfs dying for nothing.

[@lar9135]

So are you saying US/UK soldiers were mindless serfs dying for nothing also.

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

@@lar9135 We don't have mindless serfs in the US and UK Ivan. We have free people making their own decisions. Serfdom is a Muscovite problem.

[@HavrHazr]

@@patrickfitzgerald2861 Mỹ Lai massacre?

[@patrickfitzgerald2861]

@@HavrHazr So you Muscovite war criminals are willing to go on trial for what you've done in Ukraine just like what happened back then? Your little tsarina would never have the courage serfboy.

[@maishjunior4651]

It's time for Russia to pay, no wrong goes unpublished here on earth!! Slava Ukraine from Nairobi Kenya 🇰🇪🇺🇦🇺🇦

[@birhanetekleab8471]

Puppet western keniya

[@elizabethnjoki6186]

​@@birhanetekleab8471 go to hell you Vladolf Putler's . Glory to Ukraine from Kenya 🇰🇪

[@johnlondon3564]

Awesome piece...

[@odie1123]

In the fullness of time, we hope the widows find out why their boys died.

[@falstaff59]

They should at least, through the fullness of time, get a full reckoning of the war crimes committed by their husband's and sons in the world court at a war crimes tribunal.

[@santokun5835]

Amazing series,bbc. Keep it up!

[@peteb7992]

What’s amazing .. is that this didn’t have to be …. But You chose it … you’ll live in it for years.

[@lisagrobbelaar-el6ls]

I agree poor soldiers

[@jmichael7564]

In the part talking of Russian generals singing the highest praise a member of the role playing group stacked it so hard 😂

[@fabiocossa2420]

thanks a lot from Italy - excellent work, indeed

[@khusirana7465]

God bless Ukraine 🇺🇦 🇺🇦🇺🇦❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

[@mankindly9562]

Ukraine is the most corrupt entity in Europe. Why should God bless it? God save the Ukrainians!

[@calisto2735]

@@user-si2dr1pn3p rofl

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

@@calisto2735 The Ukrainian army fires from behind the backs of civilians, and they die in the crossfire. But these sacrifices are not enough. Ukrainian propaganda needs to maintain hatred and fighting spirit in its population, and fear and sympathy in the European population, and for this they endlessly shoot videos about “Russian atrocities”. You can doubt the words, but the video is a strong "argument". Who wouldn't believe their eyes? Civilians of Donbas testify to the staged shelling. The Ukrainian military came to them with video cameras and offered to leave. People refused. Then the Armed Forces of Ukraine purposefully fired at their house and again came with cameras. "Now are you convinced that the Russians are shooting at you?!" The method was flawless. If a person remained alive, then most likely he was so intimidated that he could already confirm everything in the world. If he died, that's not bad either - there was the first video where he publicly refused to be evacuated.

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

Zelensky's regime arrests and kills priests and destroys churches. Satan rules in Ukraine.

[@thinkpositive3667]

@@calisto2735 "ROFL" -- said by a nerd who's unemployed and do nothing but play Call of Duty all day.

[@travelinman70]

00:27 what's being shown is not artillery but mortar's.

[@warwarneverchanges4937]

The first to go in have the shortest life expectancy something every soldier knows even before starting training, its either total sucess or total disaster for spearhead units.

[@daveinromania]

Well done BBC I have been waiting a long time for part 3. Excellent work.

[@gracykn1670]

I wish Ukrain in peace the soonest; all Ukranians victory the soonest. No more shedding tears, and no more leaving families.

[@peaceformula5830]

What was happening in Ukraine in 2014

[@chamonix4658]

​@@peaceformula5830 russian funded terrorism in donbas. ask yourself where are all the early seperatist leaders. Killed by their russian handlers after their usefulness has expires

[@mosesodhis365]

Nice investigation but at the end what does he mean when he talks of mutiny or people of the units hometown protesting?

[@koolyman]

Can someone tell me the music to this, it's so dark lol

[@Penguins_antartica]

Have people from Russia not realised they are fighting a pointless war?

[@ToniTortelini]

No, because nationalisms and propaganda.

[@Nperez1986]

Great reporting! Nice to see different reporting styles instead of "basics"

[@ilovepdub]

This will never be mended

[@jaderozales72]

The sad part about these young Russians soldiers death is, the criminal dictator that sent them doesn’t give a damn about it.,They died for his senseless selfish political ambition to rule. This is a tragedy of Putin’s war, and it will felt for decades in Russia darkest history for generations to come

[@bertjilk3456]

They aren't victims. They're accomplices. Say it they way it is.

[@lar9135]

So is every American and British soldier who served in Iraq and Afghanistan if thats the case.

[@resireg]

​@@lar9135 I was against Iraq war, and I am against Russia in Ukraine.

[@haraldversteegden2562]

@@lar9135 No they fought a righteous war..................

[@lar9135]

@@haraldversteegden2562 Righteous for who? Certainly not for the Iraqi, Afghans or Syrians.

[@Mike25654]

Most people in my country (Western Europe) were also against our countries involvement in the Iraq War, but to be honest, we didn't do anything about it. Very few people went to protest on the streets, even thought we would have been safe there, in contrast to the Russians. So who are we to judge the Russians?

[@Freedom9X]

Great format, I hope, it continues.

[@JamericaIndustries]

the type of journalism we want thank you

[@keithfarrell3370]

Fascinating

[@Oct2019]

Russia tried their hardest and gave their very best to try to steal their neighbor's land and they failed miserably against a much smaller force.

[@maksymponomarchuk7510]

Murderers are known and revealed. Hope, all'll be done whenever they and theirs are. People, thanks for helping us💙💛🙏

[@user-si2dr1pn3p]

Zelensky's regime arrests and kills priests and destroys churches. Satan rules in Ukraine.

[@heatherhinde6544]

Many of the Ukranian's including some children killed by Russians, possibly even him, were also young and were the ones who were attacked by these 'young' Russian invaders.

[@ems4884]

Russia is going to need a great moral and spiritual awakening when this is over. I hope it won't take bombs to make it happen

[@stormsiren7207]

I have no sympathy for the Russian fighters, or for their mothers who continue to support the war against Ukraine. To me this would be the same as feeling sorry for Nazi soldiers and their mothers when they were lost to the Allied forces. I don't feel sorry for aggressors who choose to follow orders to invade another's land and murder them, or those who enable them including their families. Maybe the mothers are ignorant of the reasons their sons are fighting, but I'm sure the sons are not, and even if they are then they should still not be fighting for something they don't understand. Too many actual children are being killed because of this senseless war for me to worry about the mothers of grown men who willingly fight for Putin's arrogance.

[@flyinghigh2701]

You've never fought in a war nor had to kill anyone have you

[@DakotaofRaptors]

It's still a terrible waste of human potential. Had circumstances been different, I imagine these men would live fulfilling and productive lives.

[@felixsteiner6479]

Calling up the Volksstrum and fire brigade units rushing around the front to plug leaks, sounds like a winning strategy.......

[@sjcobra84]

No more war please.

[@BaumerPaulGefreiter]

The late Soviet Union was able to go down in history with a certain grace, sportingly admitting the state of affairs, avoiding burdening its reputation with serious crimes and not bringing its nations into misery. Putin's empire is not capable of this.

[@DannyBoy777777]

What? They murdered 40,000 Poles at Katyn!

[@sds3454]

Go read a history book lol

[@antz350]

Ever heard of a tool bag named Stalin? You’re out of your mind if that’s the reality you see. Ffs 🤦‍♂️

[@ToniTortelini]

​@@DannyBoy777777 they also murdered they own people in gulags.

[@DannyBoy777777]

@Toni T. Yes Toni. I know. Then there was the mass rapes in 1945.

[@kdexter2690]

Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦 from Greece 🇬🇷

[@asharista3152]

I don't feel bad for the people who die invading another country. Slava Ukraine!

[@patverum9051]

They were the best of the best... In goose-stepping across the square.

[@JackBadinga-wp2ei]

It’s really sad that a lot of people are dying, regardless of your stance on the war. I’m against the war, but it still makes me sad to know lots of people are dying.

[@ericdenamur]

sure ukrainiens were (and are) also against the war ! Russia is on the way to improve what a big defeat is.

[@mattblink]

Thank you BBC for respecting Ukraines borders and including Crimea as a part of Ukraine on the map. ruzzia already lost this war, it’s just a headless chicken at this point. Oh my bad, two chickens.

[@novakHF]

Это только в твоих сладких мечтах, чтобы Крым стал частью Укр

[@mattblink]

@@novakHF you will see pretty soon ruzzian zombie

[@edwardsianski725]

May the good Lord bring Ukraine a just peace this Easter. May Our Lady of Zarvanytsia comfort all who are mourning the loss of loved ones. May all Ukrainians who have died Rest in Peace.

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

A fat lot of good your religious nonsense has done so far.

[@peterandersen4552]

Wouldnt be dead if they didn't invade a sovereign nation

[@_ArsNova]

Surprisingly sympathetic and unbiased portrayal of a Russian regiment. Bravo.

[@socomply5963]

Calm down russbot

[@lar9135]

@@socomply5963 Please try and be original, your making yourself look like an idiot.

[@_ArsNova]

@@socomply5963 What is wrong with you "people"? You seem like the bots, calling anyone you don't like a "bot".

[@socomply5963]

@@_ArsNova the bot comes from the fact your entire comment history is very clearly leaning towards one side of the political isle

[@_ArsNova]

@@socomply5963 I'm glad that we could establish that I'm not a bot, and you're just a little boy whose ego is so fragile you feel the need to insult anyone who feels differently about things.

[@abeddani992]

Hooray for the in-depth work of the amazing people behind this piece of art ❤

[@11bravo72]

3:00 I hate to be that one guy that falls in the middle of an event in front of people

[@heftyyeet]

"lavish praise" as one of the "elites" slips mid demonstration 3:00 😆

[@Nanakwaku309]

One thing is clear, russia will never do a “special military operation” ever again 😂. This has been a slaughter fest

[@costinalexandruantonio1384]

Good. Let there be more sunflower seeds

[@LucasMeadows]

2:59 Slipped up there mate

[@howleme5903]

there is no glory this time only death & propaganda going to war for russian