Russian Soldier Reportedly Dies After Fellow Troops Used Sex Toy in Fatal Assault

An investigation by independent Russian media outlet ASTRA has alleged that a Russian soldier died after fellow servicemen subjected him to a prolonged assault inside his own military unit, renewing scrutiny of abuse and hazing within Russia's armed forces. The findings, based on interviews with people connected to the soldier's family and military unit, have not been independently verified by Reuters or other major international news organisations because of restrictions on independent reporting inside Russia and occupied Ukrainian territory.

The soldier, identified as Dmitry Poloymov, allegedly died after being restrained for several days and assaulted by members of his own unit. The investigation also claimed military commanders later attempted to conceal the incident by sending two suspected attackers on a high-risk combat mission before investigators could question them.

Russia's Ministry of Defence has not publicly commented on the allegations. The claims remain the subject of independent reporting and have not been confirmed by Russian authorities.

Investigation Details Alleged Assault

According to the investigation, Poloymov, whose military callsign was 'Fizruk', was allegedly handcuffed to a wooden post for several days and repeatedly assaulted by fellow soldiers before the abuse culminated in the use of a large rubber sex toy, which investigators alleged caused the fatal injuries.

Poloymov's body was later returned to his widow in a sealed zinc coffin, according to the investigation. Military documents reportedly listed his cause of death as 'heart failure', although relatives questioned that explanation after details of the alleged assault emerged from people connected to the military unit.

The report identified two alleged suspects only by their military callsigns, 'Iva' and 'Skys', who were said to have served in the same unit as Poloymov.

Alleged Cover-Up Claims

The investigation further alleged that the unit's commander reassigned both suspects to what Russian soldiers commonly describe as a 'meat assault', a high-risk frontline attack associated with heavy casualties.

According to the report, one of the men was killed during the operation while the other was seriously wounded, which meant investigators were reportedly unable to question both suspects.

The investigation also alleged the commanding officer had previously faced internal complaints accusing him of kidnapping, abuse of authority involving torture and unlawful killings. Those allegations have not resulted in any publicly known criminal convictions.

Abuse Inside the Russian Military

The allegations have renewed attention on reports of abuse inside Russia's armed forces during the war in Ukraine. Human rights groups have long documented the practice known as dedovshchina, a form of military hazing that has existed in the Russian armed forces for decades. Rights organisations say it has included beatings, intimidation and unofficial punishments, despite repeated government efforts to eliminate the practice.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, independent journalists and rights groups have continued to document allegations of violence, unlawful punishment and mistreatment within some military units, although many cases remain difficult to verify because of wartime censorship and restrictions on independent reporting.

Russia's Ministry of Defence has not commented on the allegations, and claims made in the investigation have not been independently verified by major international news organisations.