DESERTION IN SOVIET ARMY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01070R000100590002-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 13, 2007
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: February 17, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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RADIO N REPORTS, ~N~
PROGRAM 2 0 2 0 STATION W J L A- T V
ABC Network
February 17, 1983 10:00 P.M. CITY Washington, D.C.
Desertion In Soviet Army
HUCH DOWNS: Tonight a most unusual report about rare
event: desertion by troops of the Soviet Army, Russian soldiers
caught in a seemingly endless fight against the Moslem rebels in
Afghanistan.
Just within the past week, the rebels made the latest in
a series of devastating attacks on Russian-held airfields,
further demoralizing Soviet troops, who thought in the beginning
they faced an easy enemy.
The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan is in its fourth
year. You remember the events. Christmas Eve of 1979. Russian
tanks and troops airlifted to Kabul, the capital. Now there are
more than 105,000 troops in Afghanistan. You recall the world
turmoil over the invasion. There were United Nations resolutions
demanding withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.
MAN: In favor, 104. Against, 18.
DOWNS: You remember the curtailment of American grain
sales to Russia, the boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
And now, increasing reports of Russian atrocities, the mass
murder of innocent civilians, and continuing charges of Russian
use of chemical warfare.
More than three million Afghans have fled to neighboring
Pakistan, one-fifth of the population of Afghanistan. That's the
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largest group of refugees in the world. And the rebels, bolder
now and better-armed, are successfully attacking Russian convoys
and threatening Soviet-controlled cities. Western intelligence
sources estimate Russian casualties at 12 to 15 thousand dead and
wounded. Even in the Soviet press, where losses are rarely
admitted, there are reports of casualties and stories of hardship
for Russian troops in Afghanistan.
And now, something unseen since World War II, Soviet
troops deserting, going over to the Afghan rebels. ABC News
correspondent Bill Redeker is just back from Afghanistan.
BILL REDEKER: Hugh, we left Afghanistan last week after
interviewing several Soviet deserters in a remote mountain
ytronghold. The camp is located near Kandahar, Afghanistan's
second-largest city. The camp is a safe haven controlled by
Afghan rebels known as the Mujahidin.
The Mujahidin, holy warriors, praising Allah at a rear-
echelon camp in southeast Afghanistan. But look closely, for
among them normally atheistic Russian soldiers, defectors who've
surrendered to the Afghan rebels: Sergei Mishilokov (?), 26,
private. Crisha Sulimanov (?), 20, sergeant. Akram Faisulaiev
(?), 20, private. Feyodor Kosinov (?), 20, private. There are
other Soviet POWs at this camp. But unlike their comrades here,
they've refused to adopt the ways of their Moslem captors. For
them, a locked door and an armed guard.
Alexander Zerikovsky (?), 21, sergeant. Valery Kisalov
(?), 20, private. Like the others, they deserted, claiming they
were misled by their army, which they say commits atrocitis in
Afghanistan.
TRANSLATOR: Officers told us that Afghanistan i.s full
of foreign mercenaries, and we have to help Afghanistan people to
fight that aggression. But it was a pure lie. What aggression?
I did not see any aggression here, only Afghanistan people who
took arms in their hands to protect their own country. That's
all.
REDEKER: To begin with, Sergei, explain to me, why did
you leave the Soviet troops and join the Mujahidin here in
Afghanistan?
TRANSLATOR: Because I do not want to kill women and
children, because the Soviet troops are killing everything that
is alive in Afghanistan.
[Unintelligible] realized that this were ordinary
people from the settlements. The actual people are Afghanistan.
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We were fighting with them. And then it's not so-good, I
thought, to kill such innocent children. and adults. Bombing and
killing them is not good.
REDEKER: How widespread is the killing of women and
children that you mentioned earlier?
TRANSLATOR: How widespread the practice is, I don't
know. They kill everything without count, with any kind of
weapon.
REDEKER: What can you tell me about the reported use by
the Soviets of chemical warfare?
TRANSLATOR: Yes. When I was going to Khorban (?), I
saw pretty good holes with diameters of two meters or so and a
meter and a half deep. The soil -- the soil was red there. I
don't know. Actually, I'm not a chemist. There are chemical
units that they are using the weapons here. That is to say, the
Army has chemical units everywhere. The infantry has them. The
paratroops. Even the Air Force has its specialists in that
field.
REDEKER: For those POWs who agree, daily language
instruction and lessons from the Moslem holy book, the Koran. In
short, indoctrination by the Mujahidin. In return, these
prisoners are allowed more freedom than the others, permitted to
roam freely about the camp, and encouaged to join the insurgents
in their battles against a Soviet Army increasingly plagued by
poor morale.
What is the morale of those soldiers from the Soviet
nion now fighting here in Afghanistan?
TRANSLATOR: Not very good. They just have to follow
the orders they get from their commanders.
REDEKER: Why isn't the morale very good?
TRANSLATOR: How can I put it? In general, the soldiers
don't want to fight with the Afghan people. Nobody wants to
fight. All soldiers want to go home to the Soviet Union. Nobody
wants to fight. No one. It is better to go back to the Soviet
Union and serve prison terms. Nobody wants to fight here in this
country.
REDEKER: Valery, why do people feel that way? Why do
soldiers and their commanders feel that way?
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TRANSLATOR: Well, there are some officers, very bad
officers. What attracts them? Why do they come here? They are
usually just from a military school. They have to be in the Army
for 25 years. And here, one year is counted as two. While back
in the Soviet Union, one year is one year. That's the main
reason why they want to be here. But there are some officers who
do not want to fight here. I cannot tell why they don't want to
fight here. I think that some of them are very honest, good
people, and they have learned the truth. They want to live in
peace with Afghanistan, in peace. They don't want to fight.
REDEKER: What about illicit drugs? For instance,
TRANSLATOR: It is usually used by the soldiers.
REDEKER: How do they obtain it?
TRANSLATOR: They trad it for their personal belongings,
sometimes even ammunition.
REDEKER: What do the people of the Soviet Union think
about what's happening in this country?
TRANSLATOR: The Soviet people don't think anything.
They don't .know who we are fighting. Is it the people of
Afghanistan or someone else?
Well, there must be some people now who know. The ones
who are demobilized, they explain. They tell those who listen.
The newspapers and television in the Soviet Union are
lying to us about Afghanistan. When the Soviet soldier returns
home he is sworn not to say a word of what he has seen or done,
not a word. He's not to speak to anybody about it, about
Afghanistan in general, no matter how some people try to fish for
information. The soldier could break down when he's drunk. Yes,
that's quite possible. But every saldier is strictly warned
about this.
REDEKER: While life is primitive at the Mujahidin camp,
all of the prisoners say they receive enough food, though their
diet is bland and consists mainly of bread, rice and tea.
Medical facilities are also limited, but adequate to treat
superficial wounds and mild illnesses.
Despite the humane treatment at this camp, Soviet
prisoners being held elsewhere may not be as fortunate. In fact,
some Mujahidin leaders have told ABC News that if the maintenance
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of Soviet prisoners becomes a burden, as it did a few years ago,
they will return to their earlier practice of executing their
Russian captives.
Akmatiar Colbadin (?) is the leader of Hesbi Islami (?)
Afghanistan, one of the most powerful forces of Mujahidin
fighters.
AKMATIAR GOLBADIN: If Mujuahidin realize that keeping
the prisoners alive, it then creates problems and it is useless,
without any result, they will not put themselves in danger. So
they will decide to punish them.
REDEKER: Zafaradin Khan (?), regional commander of the
Hesbi forces in southern Afghanistan, is directly responsible for
the prisoners held in his camp. However, the 27-year-old leader
disagrees with his chief and vows he will not execute Russian
POWs.
ZAFARADIN KHAN [translated]: There are some Russians
who surrendered themselves to Moslem forces and took refuge in
Islam. They should be treated like any other Mujahidin. As
Moslems enjoy certain rights, so should these Russians enjoy such
rights.
The second group are those who did not show any willing-
ness to become Moslems. They enjoy complete freedom of opinion
and are left alone.
REDEKER: Is there any set of circumstances under which
you would consider executing them?
KHAN [translated]: No. As regards this question, we
absolutely follow the Islamic commandments.
REDEKER: For now, these are the lucky ones. They are
alive and relatively secure. But the future of these Russian
prisoners has been jeopardized by their own government. Recent-
ly, the Mujahidin agareed to release seven Soviets to the
International Committee of the Red Cross for temporary internment
in Switzerland before repatriation to the Soviet Union. In
exchange, Moscow agreed to allow the Red Cross to visit Mujahidin
prisoners. But the Russians broke their word and expelled the
Red Cross from Afghanistan. Now it is doubtful that the Afghan
rebels will turn over any more prisoners. These POWs have become
victims of a Russian double-cross.
What do you want to do now?
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TRANSLATOR: I want to go, if it is possible, to
America. Because in the Soviet Union they will put me away.
REDEKER: What about your family in the Soviet Union?
Don't you want to go back and see your relatives, your home?
TRANSLATOR: Well, I'd like to, but it won't be possi-
ble. It's difficult.
REDEKER: Why to America?
TRANSLATOR: 'Cause there, although the Soviet Union
says that America is very bad, radio and other sources indicate
that there the people lead a more civilized life. They under-
stand what they are doing. They also do not want war, in
Afghanistan or other places.
REDEKER: Do you now consider yourself a traitor to the
Soviet Union?
TRANSLATOR: Well, that's how it has come out, a
traitor. But we don't think we are traitors.
Yes, I want to return to the Soviet Union because it is
my home. My parents are waiting for me. I was born there.
That's my homeland. I want to go home.
REDEKER: But no doubt you'll be considered a traitor
and you'll be dealt with severely for that?
TRANSLATOR: Yes, they'll treat me badly if I go back to
the Soviet Union. Well, people are unaware of what is really
going on here. Now if I come back, I don't know what the future
has in store for me.
What do I want? I also want to go back to the Soviet
Union. I don't care what happens to me there. I don't care. I
want to return home. I'm not interested in anything else but
home.
DOWNS: How many Soviet soldiers are the rebels holding,
REDEKER: Hugh, the best guess has between 150 and 200
Soviet POWs now in detention in Afghanistan. And I should point
out that just today Freedom House, a U.S. organization supportive
of Soviet dissidents, which first brought these prisoners to our
attention, asked Secretary of State George Shultz's help in
getting thse prisoners to the United States.
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