Another shows two men forced to crawl through mud while commanders kick dirt at them and strike them in the head. Another video shows half-naked men chained to a tree. Anonymous photos sent on one Telegram channel seen by the Mail show a Russian army booklet titled 'Branding of personnel'. Despite this, recruitment reaches only around 35,000 troops monthly, with army commanders turning to brutal methods to force men into service. Thousands of complaints have been lodged against Russian commanders for the severe torture and unlawful treatment of their own troops.

Source: Daily Mail March 22, 2026 16:19 UTC