Western officials have reported that a Russian commander was deliberately run over by his own troops during the fighting in Ukraine, highlighting what they describe as severe morale problems within the invading forces. The incident allegedly involved a colonel from the 37th separate guards motor rifle brigade, who was reportedly struck by a tank driven by mutinous soldiers.
The claim originated from Ukrainian journalist Roman Tsymbaliuk, who wrote on Facebook that the mutiny occurred after the brigade suffered heavy losses, with about 50% of personnel killed near Makariv, west of Kyiv. According to the journalist, the commander was run over during a battle, sustaining leg injuries, and was later moved to a hospital in Belarus.
Western officials initially stated that the colonel had died from his injuries, but later partially retracted this claim due to conflicting evidence on social media. A video released by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov shows the commander, identified as Yuri Medvedev, alive and being transported by medical troops, with visible leg injuries. The officials now say the key point is that the commander was a victim of a mutiny, regardless of whether he died.
The incident is seen as a sign of the morale challenges faced by Russian forces, which have incurred heavy losses in the conflict. The US estimates that 7,000 Russian soldiers have been killed out of an invasion force of about 150,000. Western officials believe that up to one-fifth of Russia's original invasion force is no longer combat-effective, reflecting the botched invasion and fierce Ukrainian resistance.
