A Russian army officer helped Ukraine kill over 300 of Vladimir Putin's soldiers after becoming disillusioned with his country's military. Lieutenant Lev Stupnikov, 26, shared the location of infantrymen, medics, officers and officials in one attack Ukraine carried out with his help.
Attack near Vuhledar
Stupnikov provided the Ukrainians with the exact location of a group gathered near the city of Vuhledar preparing for an offensive. He secretly took a photo and sent it to Ukrainian intelligence. His contact told him in a message to "walk away", then in another text said, "I'm waiting for a message that you've left", before sending a third which read: "LEAVE".
Stupnikov told the Wall Street Journal he pretended to need the loo and disappeared among some trees, crouching down as if to relieve himself. Seconds later he was knocked over by the force of an explosion as Ukraine fired missiles at the group. Asked by the Ukrainians in the immediate aftermath to send a photo, Stupnikov texted back: "There's just meat."
Casualties and high-value target
In that attack, the lieutenant reported 68 killed and 60 wounded, including 10 officers among the dead. Colonel Gusein Musayev, commander of the 36th Motorised Rifle Brigade, was a top target also killed in the attack.
Stupnikov is one of thousands of Russians who have deserted since Russia launched its illegal war against Ukraine. A UN report published in September last year said 50,000 had done so, representing almost 10% of the Russian troops deployed to Ukraine. Some 16,000 were prosecuted for offences connected to desertion. The report said people who refuse to fight are tortured, with "beatings, starvation and death threats".
Escape and family reunion
Stupnikov's mother, Tatiana, who was opposed to Putin's rule, helped to enable his betrayal as well as his disenchantment with the army, including the state of some of the Soviet-era vehicles used during training. When Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Stupnikov was appalled at how innocent civilians were being targeted with bombs.
When Tatiana found out her son was being sent to war, she encouraged him to leave Russia, but he didn't. In February 2024, she wrote to Dmytro Karpenko, who was working with Ukraine's military intelligence, asking for him to help her son desert. Stupnikov agreed to work with Karpenko, leading to a series of acts of sabotage against Russia. He told the Wall Street Journal "it was constant, endless tension".
Eventually, Stupnikov made a daring escape to Ukraine across the frontline. He was later joined by his mum and 16-year-old sister. Reflecting on what he did, Stupnikov said: "Did I betray my oath? I pledged to defend freedom, independence and the constitutional order. But Putin destroyed all three."
