Kremlin propagandist defends "Hero of Russia" amid soldier deaths scandal

- Journalists of the Astra channel should be detained - said Kremlin propagandist Vladimir Solovyov. He reacted this way to the shocking information revealed by the channel about the commander of the 25th Brigade, who, while drunk, sent dozens of soldiers to a deadly assault and then "watched and enjoyed as the Armed Forces of Ukraine crushed them alive with tanks and drones."

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This concerns an incident that came to light on 2 September. Journalists from the independent Russian Astra channel revealed that Colonel Alexei Xenofontov, alias Tiger, got drunk and sent dozens of mobilised and contract soldiers to a deadly attack, and a month later received the title of Hero of Russia.

Solovyov stated that Astra journalists should be detained for revealing this information. The propagandist, who personally knows the "Hero of Russia", said that he "never saw him drunk," and at the time of the assault, he was supposedly with Xenofontov at the command post.

During the broadcast, the propagandist played an audio message from the general under whose command Xenofontov serves. This general vouches for Xenofontov's character. However, he confirmed that there is indeed a "difficult situation" in the area where the assault took place.

Solovyov confirmed that the military prosecutor's office is already investigating the history of the March assault. He added that the security forces allegedly "found no violations."

The information revealed by Astra came from the wives of mobilised Russian soldiers. The women independently reached out to their missing husbands' comrades. They heard from them that on the day of the assault, the commander of the 25th brigade, Colonel Alexei Xenofontov, "got drunk and sent dozens of mobilized and contract soldiers into a deadly assault," and then watched and enjoyed as the Armed Forces of Ukraine crushed the fighters alive with tanks and drones.

The wife of one of the fallen soldiers reported the general to the dictator Vladimir Putin himself. "How long will the brigade commander mock the soldiers, subject them to torture, and deliberately send them to their deaths? And do you think our army deserves such commanders who cannot take responsibility?" wrote Alina in a letter to the Russian leader.

The woman received the last message from her husband on 14 February. - He wrote to me that it was probably our last conversation. They were warned that their phones would be confiscated immediately if they showed up at the location (near Avdiivka). The commander made it clear to them that they were being led to their deaths - says Alina.

When Xenofontov received the title of Hero of Russia in April, dozens of comments from the relatives of the fallen and missing soldiers under "Tiger's" command appeared under the article on VKontakte.

The women asked where their loved ones were, why the bodies had not been evacuated, and why their husbands had been sent on deadly attacks. They also wished the commander a "painful civilian death."