Afghan Healer or Former Soviet Soldier ?

[Smudger]

Soviet soldiers missing since 1980 found in Afghanistan - CNN

A former Soviet Army soldier who went missing in action in 1980 during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan has been found alive almost 33 years after he was rescued by Afghan tribesmen.

Now living under the name of Sheikh Abdullah and working as a traditional healer in the Shindand district of Herat Province in western Afghanistan, former Soviet soldier Bakhredtin Khakimov was an ethnic Uzbek.

Khakimov was tracked down by a team from Warriors-Internationalists Affairs Committee, a nonprofit, Moscow-based organization that leads the search for the former Soviet Union's MIAs in Afghanistan.

"He received a heavy wound to the head in the course of a battle in (Shandand) district in September 1980 when he was picked up by local residents," the organization said in a statement posted on its website. "He now leads a seminomadic life with the people who sheltered him."

Had no idea there was such an organization looking for Soviet MIA's. Have they really turned that page in Russian history, where those who serve who don't give there lives on the battlefield are to be shunned & thrown into forced labor camps if found ?

 

[MililaniBuckeye]

Had no idea there was such an organization looking for Soviet MIA's. Have they really turned that page in Russian history, where those who serve who don't give there lives on the battlefield are to be shunned & thrown into forced labor camps if found ?

Did you even read the entire article? No where does it say the former soldiers are "shunned & thrown into forced labor camps if found". In fact, it specifically says that of the 29 found so far, "22 chose to be repatriated to their homes while seven elected to stay in Afghanistan".

 

[Buckeye513]

Did you even read the entire article? No where does it say the former soldiers are "shunned & thrown into forced labor camps if found". In fact, it specifically says that of the 29 found so far, "22 chose to be repatriated to their homes while seven elected to stay in Afghanistan".

Hence the "Have they really turned that page in Russian history."

 

[Smudger]

Did you even read the entire article? No where does it say the former soldiers are "shunned & thrown into forced labor camps if found". In fact, it specifically says that of the 29 found so far, "22 chose to be repatriated to their homes while seven elected to stay in Afghanistan".

Was referring to the Soviet Union & there handling of situations like this, specifically in WWII. Stalin meant every word when he said "Not one step back", because when they recaptured those POW's from Nazi rule, they were treated barbarically by there own people. One of just many tragedies of that era. It took decades for the Soviet Union to even publicly recognize some of the remarkable, but hopeless actions of those in the early part of the invasion. They were strongly held as cowards for disobeying orders in not fighting to the last man & ultimately surrendering in numerous brilliantly coordinated encirclements. Same story in the war with Finland before that. It was a very common practice for the Soviets to either just kill the recaptured prisoners (Not often & Officers mostly), or sentence them to years of forced labor (Mostly used this tactic) for what they deemed "treason".

 

[Muck]

FWIW soviet soldiers who were captured usually converted to Islam & fought against their former brothers. Whether it was done willingly or under the threat of death depends on who you ask.

The Soviet Union offered a general amnesty to any former soldier who had switched sides during the war. Zero returned.

 

[Smudger]

The Soviet Union offered a general amnesty to any former soldier who had switched sides during the war. Zero returned.

Not even a fool would've fallen for that one. I was very surprised to hear that 22 had "repatriated", although that is coming from the Russian side of things, so you never know if that's true, or what they want you to believe & also, what circumstances they came back in. Not saying they were taken back against there will, or treated unfairly, but there's really no way of knowing & the Russians traditionally don't have the best track record in fairly treating those who have found themselves in these situations.

 

[Muck]

The USSR under Gorbachev was a very different place than that under even relatively recent leaders like Brezhnev.

That being said, I have zero pity for individuals who betray their comrades.

 

[BoxCar_Willie]

Off topic,

In Afghanistan there are still a lot of destroyed, burned out Russian tanks in random locations. Its so odd to be driving along some mountain road and come across one.