A Russian TV reporter who quit his state-propaganda channel in protest over the brutal war in Ukraine has reportedly been subjected to cruel treatment by forces aligned with Vladimir Putin. Ilya Andreyev, 42, left his position on Channel One at the beginning of the conflict because he refused to propagate what he considered false information in support of the invasion. Andreyev, facing blacklisting from other jobs, joined the army with the understanding that he would be stationed in Moscow, far from the frontlines.
However, he was allegedly deceived and immediately sent to Ukraine. Recently, he requested some time off to update his identity documents, but was accused of desertion and insubordination by local commanders in annexed Luhansk. Subsequently, he was thrown into a punishment pit, a notorious confinement for those who oppose Putin’s war. Sources report that Andreyev was even tethered to a tree at times to prevent escape. His wife, who is also a TV reporter, traveled to Luhansk in search of him. Though he was eventually released from the punishment pit, he was promptly arrested for allegedly attempting to leave the conflict zone.
His wife claimed that guards employed violence against him and treated him poorly. In a phone call using a borrowed phone, Andreyev informed his wife that he was being relocated to Zaitseve in annexed Ukraine, an area known for basements where soldiers who refuse to fight are detained. Meduza, an independent media outlet, revealed reports of threats, irregular feeding, lack of basic hygiene products, and torture endured by the approximately 110 men held in Zaitseve.
Additional information reveals that Andreyev has been transferred to a training base in Russia, which is allegedly used by Putin’s forces to persuade refuseniks to serve on the front line. The journalist’s current situation and well-being remain uncertain.
