CaliToday (01/12/2025): A manhunt is underway across western Russia for a serviceman accused of slaughtering seven fellow soldiers shortly after being redeployed to the front lines.
In a grim incident that highlights the fracturing morale within the Russian military, authorities are hunting for Sergey Yakushev, a soldier suspected of opening fire on his own unit. The attack reportedly occurred at a military base in Kamyanka, Leningrad Oblast, just days after Yakushev had signed a new contract following his release from Ukrainian captivity.
The Suspect: From POW to Fugitive
According to reports cited by the Belarusian media outlet NEXTA and various Russian Telegram channels, Yakushev is a native of the Leningrad region.
Background: He had previously fought in Ukraine and was captured by Kyiv's forces.
The Exchange: After being returned to Russia in a prisoner-of-war (POW) exchange, instead of being discharged or given psychological rehabilitation, Yakushev allegedly signed a new service contract.
The Unit: He was assigned to the 83rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Division—the unit where the massacre took place.
The Incident: A Deadly Breaking Point
While details remain tightly controlled by Russian censors, leaked reports suggest a violent snapping point. At the base in Kamyanka, Yakushev allegedly turned his weapon on his fellow servicemen, killing seven instantly.
Following the shooting, Yakushev fled the base. Intelligence reports suggest he has moved south and is currently believed to be in the Belgorod region, a border area that serves as a key logistics hub for Russia's invasion of Ukraine and has seen increasing instability.
Russian law enforcement agencies have issued an "all-points bulletin," warning the public and military patrols that Yakushev is armed, dangerous, and likely desperate.
Context: The "Disposable" Soldier Crisis
This incident shines a harsh light on a systemic issue plaguing the Russian armed forces: the recycling of traumatized manpower.
1. No Decompression: Unlike Western armies, which mandate psychological evaluation and decompression time for returned POWs, reports suggest Russia is pressuring returned soldiers to immediately return to the front to fill severe manpower shortages. 2. "Meat Grinder" Morale: The term "meat assaults" has become synonymous with Russian infantry tactics. Soldiers knowing they are being sent back to the same hellscape they just escaped creates a volatile psychological cocktail. 3. Internal Fratricide: This is not an isolated event. As discipline erodes and the composition of the army shifts to include convicts and traumatized veterans, incidents of "fragging" (killing one's own officers or peers) are reportedly on the rise, though rarely acknowledged officially by the Kremlin.
Conclusion
The hunt for Sergey Yakushev is more than a criminal investigation; it is a symptom of a military machine running on fumes. By treating soldiers as infinite resources to be used, captured, and reused, Moscow risks turning its own barracks into battlegrounds.
For the seven dead in Kamyanka, the war didn't end on the front lines of Ukraine—it followed them home.
Source: NEXTA, Russian Telegram Channels