Russian soldiers who refuse to fight are forcibly deployed to Kharkiv region - ISW

This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

It noted that Russian troops launched an offensive in the north of the Kharkiv region when the northern group of troops was understaffed. According to analysts, the Russian Ministry of Defense decided to send military personnel awaiting trial to the front in the Kharkiv region to strengthen the limited forces in the area.

Thus, the Russian opposition publication Verstka reported on June 3 that the Russian military command had begun to forcibly send hundreds of soldiers who refused to participate in hostilities to the front in Ukraine. In May, in particular, they were sent to the north of Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

According to Verstka, the Russian military holds the servicemembers at military unit basepoints in Russia as they await trial for crimes related to their refusal to fight. Their trials are then suddenly canceled and the men are quickly sent to Ukraine. 

In addition, the Russian authorities have used physical violence to force some soldiers to voluntarily go to Ukraine, while others have been taken from their cells at gunpoint and deployed to the front. 

The Russian authorities canceled the trials of at least 170 soldiers who refused to fight and sent them to Ukraine without the investigators, prosecutors, and defense lawyers knowing about it. 

According to Verstka, several sources, including one from the Russian presidential administration, said that the Russian military sends conscripts and "incompetent" reservists, who have signed contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense, to noncombat roles in Russia's border forces to free up experienced military personnel for the Russian offensive operation in northern Kharkiv region.

• The day before, ISW experts reported that the Russian army was redeploying its own forces to strengthen its positions in the Kharkiv direction. This indicates a possible second phase of the Russian offensive in the region.