Russian army using ‘mobile crematoriums’ to hide war crimes & their soldiers’ bodies in Ukraine, Defence Secretary says

RUSSIAN soldiers are using “mobile crematoriums” to cover up their own war crimes, as well as the true extent of their army’s death toll in Ukraine, the UK Defence Secretary has claimed. Ben Wallace said Putin‘s commanders in Ukraine had refused to tell the truth throughout the war, in response to Russia‘s Victory Parade in Moscow to mark the end of the Second World War. Russian Ministry of DefenceRussia is allegedly using mobile crematoriums in Ukraine to cover up war crimes[/caption] PADefence Secretary Ben Wallace also said Russia was hiding its own heavy losses[/caption] APVladimir Putin today appeared at a Victory Day parade in Moscow[/caption] In a speech on Monday at the National Army Museum in London, he said: “Since February we have witnessed a systemic refusal to tell the truth up the chain of command, and it is playing out. “Consider the fact alone that mobile crematoria trundle around the battlefields not just to hide Russian war crimes, they are for their own soldiers’ corpses as well.” He was speaking after Moscow’s Red Square played host to a Russian military parade to mark the 77th anniversary of victory in what Russia calls the Great Patriotic War. As many as 27 million Soviets died during World War Two, including 11.4m soldiers. Read more on Russia ‘NO TO WAR’ Putin humiliated as Victory Day parade coverage HACKED with pro-Ukraine message VLAD IT AWAY Putin, 69, 'stunned to discover ex-gymnast lover, 38, is pregnant again' But speaking just hours after the event, which saw President Putin watch on in a blanket amid swirling rumours about his health, the Defence Secretary claimed the Russian leader was “dishonouring” the memory of his country’s fallen heroes. He said Putin wanted the Russian people and the rest of the world “to be awed and intimidated” by the scale of his country’s military might. But, he added, the “ongoing and unprovoked conflict in Ukraine does nothing but dishonour those same soldiers. Both the ones marching across Red Square as I speak and all the forebearers they supposedly march to commemorate”. He described a visit he made to Moscow in February just weeks before the conflict began where he lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier next to the Kremlin. Most read in News WET BLANKET ‘Cancer-stricken’ Putin watches military parade with BLANKET over his legs JET DOOMED Mystery over Putin's Doomsday nuke plane as parade flyover is axed at 11th hour CLASS ACTION Major schools shake-up to be announced TOMORROW in Queen's Speech FOOTIE TRAGEDY Teen footballer, 13, dies after 'medical emergency' on pitch ‘NO TO WAR’ Putin humiliated as Victory Day parade coverage HACKED with pro-Ukraine message TEEN TORMENT I was raped TWICE working in chip shop - I reported beast but he struck again Mr Wallace then went on to denounce the Soviet leaders of the time who had forced many of their conscripted soldiers to suffer and die, often in “needless” circumstances. “Fear and sycophancy dictated behaviours then,” he said, “and today’s Russian Armed Forces still carry that Soviet imprint – the imprint of amorality and corruption.” Comparing Russia’s army today with the British army, he described how officers at Sandhurst are taught under the motto “serve to lead”, quoting the Duke of Wellington, who once said: “I consider nothing in this country so valuable as the life and health of the British soldier.” He asked: “Could the same ever be said of Russian Forces, with their quantity supposedly a ‘quality all of its own’? “Do their officers serve their soldiers? Do they learn and adapt? Or do they seek only to comply and satisfy their higher commanders?” All you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine Everything you need to know about Russia's invasion of Ukraine... Why is Russia invading Ukraine? Will the UK go to war? How can I join the Ukraine foreign legion? What can I do to help Ukraine? Who is Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky? How much gas does the UK get from Russia? Is Russia a part of Nato? Does Russia have nuclear weapons? Why is Ukraine not in Nato? How big is the Russian army? What is Article 5 of the Nato treaty? What is the Minsk agreement? Which countries were in the Soviet Union? What does the Z mean on Russian tanks? Meaning behind symbols explained When will the Russia-Ukraine war end? Describing the crematoriums that have reportedly been seen on the battlefields in Ukraine, Mr Wallace said: “Imagine what it must do to the morale of a private soldier to know your commanders have so little faith in their campaign that you are followed around by those horrific contraptions.” He also highlighted the destruction of the 331st Guards Parachute Regiment, the so-called “elite” Russian Airborne Forces, who were tasked at the start of the invasion with seizing Hostomel airfield on the outskirts of Kyiv. As news of the unit’s heavy death toll filtered back to Russia, he said, friends and relatives of the fallen had denounced Putin, claiming he had decided to “play war” and “sent thousands of guys to die”. Comparing the Russian leader and his cronies to the dictators of the 20th century, he added: “Through their invasion of Ukraine, Putin, his inner circle and generals are now mirroring the fascism and tyranny of 77 years ago, repeating the errors of last century’s totalitarian regimes.” And he accused Russian forces of bad battle preparation, poor operational planning, inadequate equipment and support, and corruption. Russian Ministry of DefenceThe crematoriums were first pictured in 2013[/caption] Putin has been accused of leading thousands of Russians to their deathsGetty Russia’s mobile crematoriums were first reported on back in February at the start of the war. Shocking footage – originally shared in 2013 – disturbingly shows a circular chamber fitted into the back of the lorry. Soldiers can crank up the heat to scorching temperatures, in a bid to avoid mountains of bodies piling up in public view. The terrifying trucks can reduce bodies to ashes on the roadside, making it even easier for Vladimir Putin to downplay the human cost of the conflict. Today’s Russian Armed Forces still carry that Soviet imprint – the imprint of amorality and corruption Ben Wallace MPDefence Secretary It comes as the Russian ambassador to Poland was attacked in Warsaw during a visit to a World War Two memorial in the Polish capital. Sergey Andreev looked stony-faced as red liquid resembling blood was splattered across his face as part of the protest against the killing of innocent Ukrainians. Meanwhile, Putin’s supposed show of force in Moscow was slammed as a damp squib, as the tyrant delivered a feeble speech in front of a parade slimmed down due to losses in Ukraine. The parade traditionally sees Russia display its military might with tanks, nuclear missiles and other hardware rumbling through Red Square and the latest aircraft overhead. Thousands of Russian troops also march past Putin and his top brass in the annual traditional parade. Read More on The Sun DOUBLE TRAGEDY Nick Cave's son Jethro dies aged 31 - second tragedy to hit family in 7yrs THE GAZZA STRIP I got naked for Gazza, it was the best experience of my life, says stripper But instead, the Russians have been unable to find enough of the latest T-80 tanks after around 120 of them were destroyed by the Ukrainians. In total, the parade was scaled down by 35 per cent, according to calculations by Forbes. Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears. Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun’s Ukraine Fund. Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded. Donate here to help The Sun’s fund Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles £3 — text SUN£3£5 — text SUN£5£10 — text SUN£10 Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis. In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world. For more information visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund