Bodies of Russian Soldiers Filling Up Belarusian Morgues, Residents Say

[BeyondGeography]

The bodies of Russian soldiers killed in battle in Ukraine are filling up morgues in Belarus, local residents told RFE/RL.

Russian soldiers killed in battle are being brought by truck to the morgues and then sent back to Russia by train or plane, residents said.

Residents described the horror of seeing the bodies loaded on a train at Mazyr for transfer back to Russia.

“The number of bodies was unbelievably large. People at the Mazyr station were simply shocked by the number of bodies being put on the train,” a local resident in Mazyr told RFE/RL.

The morgues in Homel and Naroulia are also filled up, according to local residents.

Belarusian doctors have been threatened with the loss of their job if they are caught spreading information about the dead and injured Russian soldiers.

U.S. officials have estimated that several thousand Russian soldiers have been killed so far in the two-week old war.

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-belarus-morgue-soldiers/31750455.html

Link to tweet

[Luizy]

1. Russia will cover up the number of dead

Because they lie about everything.

[Gore1FL]

23. They'll try. If the numbers are as high as some estimates, it's going to be hard to keep hidden.

When families start meeting one another, sunlight will begin to shine.

[Beachnutt]

2. The sad part is that most of them were fighting

on lies and had no idea what the truth was.
From what I gather.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Agreed nt

[RKP5637]

4. K&R!!! Absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[uponit7771]

6. +1,

[lpbk2713]

18. Likewise their parents.

They will believe their sons died for a just cause.

I hope the true Putin is revealed soon.

[Codifer]

19. Sadly

Not knowing what is really going on and not knowing the true objective is a part of much of modern warfare. It seems to be planned that way. Smedley Butler figured some of it out.

I found out a bit of it, that I was involved in, a little more than fifty years later.

[yagotme]

25. Ha. There's a name from long ago.

Spent 4 yrs assigned to Camp Smedley D. Butler.

[Codifer]

29. He was a great General

and an equally great patriot. He blew the whistle when the fascists tried to enlist his aid in a coup attempt and ouster of FDR about 1933 or so. He told them to fuck off. I wish that some of our current Generals had the same devotion to duty and the constitution that Smedley had.

Ah well.

[yagotme]

30. Too many of them, I fear,

after they pin on that first star, are careerists, not patriots.

[blue-wave]

5. Official Ukrainian

numbers of Russian dead is around 12,000. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. If so, those are still staggering numbers.

[Ilsa]

7. I didn't know the link. It's Radio Free Europe.

Other articles on that page as well, including a story about Chechens fighting alongside russians.

[Ilsa]

8. There was a story a week ago about a mobile crematorium that the

Russian Army was dragging around. I wonder if that was verified?

[gab13by13]

14. There was a picture of it

at the start of the war, for whatever that is worth. I question everything because the fog of war and I remember Bagdad Bob.

[roamer65]

9. It is what it is.

Illegal invasions cause it.

There will be thousands more.

[onecaliberal]

10. Fucked around and found out.

Sad

[Tomconroy]

11. Saw that. Belarus isn't going to help Russia. No room in the morgue.

[gab13by13]

15. Belarus doesn't want to be sanctioned.

[Wingus Dingus]

26. They do have some sanctions on them, but not as much as Russia.

[Grokenstein]

28. Gotta be disheartening, to say the least, to watch one's "good friend"

dump thousands of soldiers into a meat grinder on the pretext of "easy victory," then refuse to stop turning the crank for fear of looking "weak."

[Sherman A1]

13. This is from the Institute for The Study of War's March 12th update

The Ukrainian military claimed to have damaged or destroyed 31 Russian BTGs (Battalion Tactical Groups) as of March 11, its first numbered claim of damage to Russian forces of the war. Ukrainian military intelligence reported at 6:00 am local time on March 12 that Ukrainian forces have destroyed 13 Russian BTGs and rendered 18 BTGs combat ineffective as of March 11.

[1] US intelligence estimated Russia deployed approximately 120 BTGs to Ukraine’s borders prior to February 24.

[2] The Ukrainian military has not previously made any official statements on numbers of destroyed Russian BTGs. The Ukrainian General Staff continues to report widespread Russian logistics and morale issues, stating on March 12 that Russia “was forced to change tactics” due to unsuccessful attempts to conduct an offensive, that Russian units continue to abandon equipment, and that the rate of Russian desertions and surrenders to Ukrainian forces is increasing.

[3] The General Staff additionally stated that Russia is calling up conscripts from the DNR and LNR, mercenaries from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and Russian convicted prisoners to offset heavy combat losses and reserve problems.

[4] The Ukrainian Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) reported on March 12 that Russian commanders authorized their soldiers to loot civilian businesses and households and move to ”self sufficiency” to offset continued supply problems.[5]

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-12

If the number of BTG's damaged or destroyed is correct, it is looking like about an 18% loss rate if my guesstimate is correct. That is pretty much unsustainable and what appeared to be low morale from the start would like break with that number. Logistics are a huge issue, substandard equipment a huge issue and unit morale is likewise as you know. I am figuring this turns into a flatten the cities with artillery, missiles and air power shortly as the ground forces simply cannot get the job done.

[BeyondGeography]

20. And that's before urban fighting ie Kyiv which I assume would mean even higher casualty rates

Those numbers certainly put things in perspective, like why Putin is scrambling for reinforcements from wherever he can get them.

[Sherman A1]

31. Yes, urban warfare is very unpleasant for all involved

It is a particularly bad place for tanks and other armored vehicles. I’m sure that this and the general failure thus far of the Russian army are the reasons Putin is looking for reinforcements experienced in such.

[Wingus Dingus]

16. I wonder if Belarusians have any independent news? Do they know what's going on?

I imagine they're kept in the dark about as much as Russians, or even more so. What is Lukashenko telling his people about the conflict? He hasn't committed them to it yet.

[Evolve Dammit]

21. The takeover of Belarus has not been reported on in detail. If you have links, please send. Thanks

[Wingus Dingus]

24. Good summary in this NPR article--

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/11/1085548867/belarus-ukraine-russia-invasion-lukashenko-putin

[Evolve Dammit]

27. Thanks much. Good article

[ChazInAz]

17. I feel sorry for the cannon-fodder.

I wonder if Putin has paused to reflect that he has, in just two weeks, reached a number of casualties that it took America years to get to in our Vietnam folly.
I still have faint childhood memories of Soviet tanks in the streets of Budapest.
Rich men start the wars.
Poor people do the dying.

[Evolve Dammit]

22. He seems driven to seize Ukraine and re-establish vestiges of Russian glory before dying.