According to pro-Kremlin media, a Russian sniper from the “Akhmad” regiment killed a “Polish mercenary” that the Russians nicknamed “Cruel.” The media refers to unconfirmed reports from a soldier in the unit who claims that a sniper duel took place, resulting in the death of the Pole.
The story of the fight was described, among others, by the newspaper Pravda, while the first to report on it was the Kremlin-controlled Russia Today, which was allegedly informed by the commander of the reconnaissance unit of the “Akhmad” regiment.
The unit in question is the 141st Special Motorized Regiment named after the pro-Russian Chechen leader killed in 2004, Akhmad Kadyrov. The soldiers in this unit, known as “Kadyrovites,” belong to the Russian Rosgvardiya, the internal security service of Russia loyal to Vladimir Putin.
“A Russian sniper from a special forces regiment eliminated a mercenary from Poland in the special operations zone, who was given the nickname ‘Cruel,'” reads the article from Pravda.
Russian media have propagated unconfirmed information from the Russian military that the Pole deliberately targeted enemy soldiers in a way to inflict a painful death. According to Russian accounts, he aimed for the neck and armpits.
The sniper who allegedly eliminated the Pole said his opponent used “cuckoo tactics,” which means that he hid in trees. According to the soldier using the nickname “Hades,” the Pole revealed himself with the sound of breaking branches, which is when the Russian claims to have shot him.
Russian media have not provided any evidence to support the Russian soldier’s account.
Sniper activity is particularly significant from the perspective of frontline infantry. Regular clashes between snipers occur, and the outcomes of these encounters affect the morale of the soldiers.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian sources showcased a Ukrainian sniper’s feat of eliminating a Russian soldier from a distance of 2,710 meters last November.
