Russian Army Sent Over 90 Soldiers on Fake Leave to Work Near Bakhmut.

Incident Within Russia's 24th Motor Rifle Regiment

According to UATV: In 2025, over 90 servicemen from Russia's 24th Motor Rifle Regiment were officially placed on leave, but were in fact deployed to perform work in the Bakhmut area. These troops were engaged in fortifying defensive positions while in a combat zone, raising serious doubts about the official nature of their leave status. This practice highlights the extreme pressures on Russian military units as the conflict continues.

While officially on leave, the soldiers were actually constructing defensive lines in an active warzone, according to reports from the 'Atesh' partisan movement. The situation proved dangerous; one soldier was severely wounded after stepping on a mine during this so-called 'leave'.

Violations of Servicemen's Rights

Following this incident, the unit's command allegedly falsified documents, recording the injury as one sustained during a formal combat mission. These actions raise significant concerns about the protection of servicemen's rights and overall discipline within the Russian Armed Forces.

This case underscores the severe challenges faced by soldiers in the conflict zone, particularly regarding their legal rights and service conditions. The use of formal leave to conceal actual military duties points to potential systemic issues in army structure and management, which could ultimately impact unit effectiveness and troop safety.

Such incidents are likely to draw further scrutiny from the international community regarding the situation in Ukraine and the conduct of Russian military forces in the region.