The question of losses suffered by a single Russian naval infantry brigade was nettling Russia after a governor issued a statement on Monday rebutting complaints.
The complaints were allegedly made by troops about the number of deaths they had suffered.
According to reports on The Insider website, members of the 155th naval infantry brigade are normally based in the Pacific.
The complaint was made to the governor of Primorsky Krai in a letter that they had lost 300 men in four days, including dead, wounded and missing, in fighting around Donetsk in Ukraine.
Gov. Oleg Kozhemyako released a video on Telegram on Monday disputing the details.
He said that there had been heavy losses, but not nearly as high as in the alleged letter.
He said he had been assured of this by commanders at the front.
Kozhemyako added that military investigators had been tasked with getting to the bottom of the case.
Soldiers in the original letter had apparently asked for an independent investigation.
The letter included complaints that commanders are sending troops on incomprehensible offensives that accomplish little more than earning medals for senior officers.
”They also complained that the unit had lost about half its equipment.
“And that’s just in our brigade.’’
They also accused their commanders of trying to cover up the losses and showing a lack of concern for the fighters’ well-being. (dpa/NAN)
