Russian elite military unit that can “play war” in Ukraine

“Hearts on fire. Nerves of steel”. If we are to believe the telegram channel of this special elite unit, these are the qualities attributed to the soldiers of the Cascade troops. It’s all videos of Russian drones dropping bombs Ukraine Heavy metal backdrops and portraits of these “fighters” are decked out in slick hairstyles and sophisticated equipment.

“When Motherland Calls, Cadets Unhesitatingly Take Up Arms to Defend Their Native Land,” read one of the captions with the photos. An elegant text that did not fail to mention that the brave young men appearing in the photographs had previously studied at the Moscow University of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and were destined for a promising future.

Yet according to Jeff Hahn, a Russian military expert and member of the New Lines Institute, a US think tank, Kaskat’s fighters are not as brave as they seem. “As far as we know, this unit has never been within 80 kilometers of a fight,” he points out.

Show that there is no free pass

Cascade was founded in October 2022 by Dmitry Saplin, a member of the ruling United Russia party and a former State Duma deputy. Le Figaro, which refers to several testimonials and the influential Russian blog Telegram channel VchK-OGPU. According to Jeff Hahn, the unit was created in response to the president’s decision Vladimir Putin to declare “Partial Mobilization” of 300,000 Conscripts of the Russian ArmyCalled up and sent to fight in Ukraine.

According to Le Figaro, the group, based in the illegally annexed Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, is armed and funded by the Russian Defense Ministry.

By creating this elite unit of a hundred members, the Kremlin wanted to show that no one – not even the country’s politicians – benefited from the privileges of exemption from military service. “The casket is part of a larger effort to show that Russian members of parliament and their families are actively participating in the war and fulfilling their patriotic duty,” crypts Jeff Hahn.

Several Russian lawmakers and dignitaries have served in the department, including Dmitry Saplin’s own son.

Photo taken from the fight

But although the battalion tries to present itself as a real combat group, according to its opponents, it is “a group of friends, including representatives and their children.” “Everyone wants to show that they took part in the war, but do not want to go forward,” the VKCh-OGPU quotes. Daily Telegraph.

The “dangers” that Kaskat’s members expose themselves to are practically non-existent, Jeff Hahn underlines, noting that their contribution to the war effort is limited to taking photographs in the service of Kremlin propaganda.

The Daily Telegraph publishes several photographs of these warplanes, either in the process of preparing drones or in the process of scrutinizing computer screens “from cozy bunkers”.

“They participate for less than a month, take photos, post, and then go home,” Jeff Hahn continues. “Meanwhile, Russian soldiers are dying by the hundreds in the mud of Bagmouth.”

“Increase your chances of getting selected”

As Russian regional elections on September 10 approach, the Kaskat faction could also serve as a springboard to boost the campaigning of some Russian parliamentarians.

A large stand Published by the Carnegie Endowment, an American think tank for international peace, Russian journalist Andrey Bertsev explains that the war in Ukraine and the title of “hero” has become a “career boost” for Russian politicians.

“The most cunning can earn the label ‘veteran,’ thanks to pre-trips for photo-session time,” he writes, adding that trips to occupied Ukraine by Russian politicians are already on the rise.

Oleg Golikov, a member of the Duma, was among those who temporarily abandoned his executive duties to join Kaskat and “fight” for his homeland. According to Le Picaro, he recently completed two three-month stints with the unit, proudly declaring: “I’m on the front line to defend our homeland”.

“We flew 50 to 70 km beyond the enemy’s lines, to monitor where the guns that bombarded our positions were positioned and to operate our artillery”, he still tells the economic newspaper Vedomosti, adding that his unit specializes in the use of drones. .

According to the same media, some 56 members of the Duma and Russian regional assemblies – who do not benefit from exemptions if they are mobilized – were leading in various factions in April. So far, three local parliamentarians have died in the fighting.

This text is adapted from English. Find out here Original article.