"If you are watching this, I am already gone": Russian Aerospace Forces pilot Alexey Zemtsov accused General Kravchenko of fabricating a case for "discrediting the army"
A posthumous video has appeared in the Russian military Telegram channel "Voevoda Veshchaet" (Voevoda Broadcasts). The channel’s administrator reveals his identity — Senior Lieutenant, Ka-52 pilot Alexey Zemtsov (call sign Voevoda) — and reports: "If you are watching this video, then I am no longer alive."
He explains that he intends to take his own life due to persecution by the command and their intention to open a case against him for discrediting the Russian army.
According to the recording, Zemtsov was first an administrator of the channel "Povernutye na Voyne" (Obsessed with War), and then created his own channel. When it came to light that he had run the first channel, problems began with the commander of the 11th Air Force and Air Defense Army, and currently with the deputy commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Vladimir Kravchenko, because of a post about Su pilots being forced to undergo drill training after combat missions. Zemtsov was grounded.
Later, Zemtsov beat up another administrator of "Voevoda Veshchaet," who turned out to be his wife’s lover, and demanded money from him. He was arrested and sent to a pretrial detention center. He was pulled out of there by the commander of the military unit, Avramenko, under the pretext of sending him to the war zone. While undergoing training at platoon commander courses, Zemtsov posted a photo of a helmet issued to Aerospace Forces pilots — they turned out to be used and manufactured in 1968. He was forced to publish a retraction, but was still sent back to his deployment point.
According to Zemtsov, there, at Kravchenko’s instigation, the investigation against him was resumed. Avramenko was interrogated and ultimately "flip-flopped" — previously he had supported Zemtsov and promised to free him "with the help of special forces," but now he himself filed a statement against him for discrediting the Russian army. In the video, Zemtsov states that he does not intend to go to prison under this article and wants to commit suicide. "Next to the body there will be a ’black folder’ with a lot of interesting things on Kravchenko," Zemtsov promises. According to him, if this video is published on the channel, then he is no longer alive.