A group comprised of defectors from the Russian Army and aligned with Ukraine’s military has called for an end to the “dictatorial country” run by Vladimir Putin.
The video message was released on Monday by the Freedom of Russia Legion which was set up soon after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The group is made up of former Russian Army members, as well as other Russian and Belarusian volunteers who have not previously been members of military formations.
In the video filmed at night from an undisclosed location, an unnamed soldier stands in front of a group of his comrades, some of whose faces have been blurred. He starts by saying, “We are Russians like you,” suggesting that he is seeking support from citizens in Russia to end Putin’s regime.
“We want our children to grow up in peace and be free people so that they can travel, study and just be happy in a free country,” he said. This was impossible in Putin’s Russia which is “rotten from corruption, lies, censorship, restrictions on freedoms and repression.”
Screen grab via YouTube
He describes how in Russia, “a person’s life is worth less than an official’s wallet,” and how children are “separated” from their parents “for calling for peace.”
This is likely a reference to the student Masha Moskaleva from Yefremov who drew a picture showing opposition to the invasion in an incident which was followed by her father’s arrest and her being sent to an orphanage.
“The time has come to put an end to the dictatorship of the Kremlin,” the man said in the video as he thanked those who donated to their cause and for their support which “reminds us every day of our final goal on Red Square.”
“Be brave and do not be afraid, because we are returning home, Russia will be free,” he added.
The message comes as another group of Russians with links to the legion said it was carrying out combat missions on Russian territory that borders Ukraine, where there have been reports of clashes.
The Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), which says it fights for Ukraine—although Ukrainian military officials say it is independent—published a video on social media showing road signs in the regions of Bryansk and Belgorod, Ukrainian media reported.
There are reports of growing scuffles on the border. Belgorod’s governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that a Ukrainian Army “sabotage group” had entered Russian territory in the Graivoron district and that the Russian Army and security forces were taking measures to repel the incursion.
Sirens could be heard in videos shared by the Telegram channel of the Sirena news outlet, which reported, according to a translation, that “drones have been seen in the sky” and that a military vehicle had driven over from Ukraine into Russia.
On Saturday, Russian language outlet Meduza cited the Telegram channels of Mash and Baza in reporting that an armed group of people had tried to enter Belgorod from Ukraine, exchanging fire with border guards. Meduza did not specify further who the group was.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian and Ukrainian Defense Ministries via email for comment.