Russia: Families of missing Moscow sailors searching for answers | War in Ukraine

A week later The main ship of the Russian Navy sank in the Black Sea – According to Ukraine, after the explosion of ammunition, according to Moscow, or after the missile attacks – Russian authorities have not yet released the official number of survivors, dead and wounded in the group of 500 people.

Authorities are facing silence over the whereabouts of their loved ones or contradictory information reported to them, at least 10 families New York TimesThe Kremlin has publicly expressed its frustration with the still-permitted social networks or, again, in the independent Russian or international media.

Some seem to be more outspoken than the father of 19-year-old Yegor Krebetz, a 19-year-old Russian cook on a Moscow ship.

” They said the entire staff was laid off. This is a lie! What a horrible and cynical lie! ⁇

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Screenshot of Dmitri Chkrebets’s VKontakte page showing a photo of her son Yegor.

Photo: Radio Free Europe / VKontakte via Radio Liberty

Last week, the Russian state-owned company TASS first said All crew Recovered, then word was stolen Everything.

Dmitry Chkrebets, who returned to VKontakte, a Russian company similar to Facebook, said he was told his son was not among the dead and wounded and was on the list of missing sailors.

How can they lie in contempt? That are starring on TV channels Is everyone alive? Asked at Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.

The disappearance of Moscow, which played a key role in the integration of Russian ships in the Black Sea, is one of the biggest material and symbolic setbacks caused by Moscow since the start of the war in Ukraine.

Reporting to the Independent Russian Media Who is inside Research to find her son, Irina Skrebets, said she went with her husband to a military hospital in the Crimea, where the wounded sailors were treated.

” We saw every child burning. I can not tell you how hard it was. Missing our son. There were only 200 people on board, and there were more than 500 on board. Where are the others? ⁇

Conflicting information

Russian Navy Commander Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov said the crew had returned to their base in Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula. Novaya Gazeta EuropeAn independent Russian intelligence newspaper was forced Work In deportation.

Last Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing a meeting between Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov and a group of people posing as members of Moscow’s delegation at the port of Sevastopol.

Dozens of sailors believed to have been rescued from the sinking attended a ceremony in Sevastopol last week.

Photo: Reuters / via the Russian Ministry of Defense

The Novaya Gazeta Europe He clarified that the part where the commanders announced the number of officers present and absent from the meeting was broadcast without sound.

However, according to media estimates, there were about 100 men in the two rows. Russian officials did not explain the absence of other team members.

Chkrebets’ search for answers, like other families, is a hurdle.

Medusa, an Latvian-based independent Russian-language site, said the mother of one of the missing, interviewed by Anna Siromaysova, could not find any official documents relating to the victims: No listings. We are looking for them ourselves. It tells us nothing.

Maxim Savin also made an observation in an interview New York Times.

They do not want to talk to us. We are in mourning; They listed our little brother and they would never return it to usHe told of his brother Leonid, who for 20 years was useless to serve in the army and did not support the war, he mentions.

The family was first informed of his disappearance, after which he received conflicting accounts of the circumstances of his death, before one of their narrators returned to the initial edition.

Looks like the authorities are trying to silence everyoneHe concludes.

Her account corresponds to that provided by Tamara Grudinina on the BBC’s Russian language service. He says his son, Sergei Grudin, 21, was assigned to Moscow after undergoing basic training.

Missing him, he was repeatedly told that he was Alive and well, and that he would contact her at the first opportunity And what he had Sank with the boat.

Fear, perhaps, of retaliation on the part of a government is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.MisinformationOthers wanted to trust the media anonymously or delete their messages on social media after reporting the disappearance of their loved ones.

The Kremlin declined to comment on the testimony Those who have emerged over the past few days have not confirmed that information, saying it will be postponed to the Ministry of Defense.

The Russians report the death of loved ones

Soldiers of the Russian Black Sea Navy held a ceremony last Friday in memory of the Russian missile ship Moscow.

Photo: Reuters / Alexei Pavlishock

Media outlets, including Reuters, have reported that a memorial service was held in Sevastopol last Friday. Photos of the event show garlands decorated with a message Shipping and crewAccording to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, this indirectly confirms that some of Moscow’s crew were actually killed.

On the Russian networking site Odnoklassniki, Varvara Vakrusheva confirmed the death of her husband, midshipman Ivan Vakrushev, following a call from Russian naval authorities.

The wife of a sailor who was interviewed by Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty also confirmed her husband’s death.

Yulia Chiova, with tears in her eyes, expressed hope for her part Defender On Monday, he received a call from the Ministry of Defense advising him on the death of his son Andre.

” He was 19 years old and he was forced. They did not tell me anything else and had no information about the date of the funeral. I firmly believe that he is not the only one who died. ⁇

The Meduza site cites a source close to the command of the Russian Black Sea Navy, which claims that 37 of Moskva’s crew were killed.

Consistent with the estimates presented in the interview given on condition of anonymity Novaya Gazeta Europe By the mother of a surviving sailor.

People were killed, some were injured, and others were missing. […] [Mon fils] He saw what he saw and called me crying. It was scary. Apparently not everyone survivedShe said About 40 Dead

Many of the wounded lost their limbs as multiple explosions were caused by missiles and explosives.She added.

My son told me that the ship was hit from the ground in the Ukrainian region. Fire does not occur for any reason […] After three Neptune missiles hit the cruiser they tried to extinguish the fire on their ownShe argued.

Although the latter claims to have fired two missiles in the direction of Moscow, the woman thus acknowledges the thesis presented by Ukraine.

Russian authorities are covering up the information, he believes, Because the Ministry of Defense does not want to admit the defeat of Ukraine. He did not want to admit that such a ship was damaged.

Experts say Russian authorities have also reduced their casualties since the attack began.

By the end of the first week of fighting, the Defense Ministry said 498 people had been killed and 1,597 wounded. He was a month ago A total of 1351 soldiers were confirmed killed And 3,825 were injured, which is significantly lower than the Ukrainian and Western estimates.

Ukrainian forces say the number of Russian soldiers killed has now exceeded 20,000.

A month ago, a managerNorth Atlantic Treaty OrganizationNATO The number of Russian soldiers killed in action during the first four weeks of the conflict is estimated at between 7,000 and 15,000, with a total of 30,000 to 40,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded.

The use of coercion

Beyond the number of deaths kept secret by Moscow, the testimonies of relatives point to another aspect of the Russian-led war: the use of force, often very young.

Quickly after he threw the reference Special military actionVladimir Putin has promised not to send people or reservists to fight in Ukraine.

However, at the beginning of last month, the Russian Ministry of Defense had to do Recognize the presence of coercion On the front, some are being held captive. The Russian military claims that they were mistakenly sent to Ukraine and then deported.

Russian law prohibits the mobilization of these tens of thousands of Russian men between the ages of 18 and 27 each year for a year of compulsory military service in cross-border operations.

It is a fact that Dmitri Chkrebets did not fail to wake up.

A compulsive person who does not anticipate an active war is considered to be actively missing. Guys, how can you get lost in the sea? !!!He wrote on the social network VKontakte.

” I asked them directly: Why are you officers alive, my son, a compulsive soldier is dead? ⁇

Those who allowed this should be punishedHe told Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.

The more we write, the harder it is for them to keep quiet about what is going on.Dmitry Chkrebets believes.

If many of his fellow citizens are afraid to speak up, this is not his case. A man who has taken his son from him in such a disgusting way is not afraid of anything!