Russian soldiers drafted to Ukraine were told they wouldn't have to actually fight anyone, report says. Many of them were swiftly killed.

According to an investigation by The New York Times, Russian soldiers were told by their commanders that they wouldn't see combat and were killed in battle.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in September that the country would partially mobilize its military.

More than 300,000 were called into action and given the same status as regular soldiers.

Factory workers, truck drivers, and a former barista were some of the people who were drafted into Russia's 155th Naval Infantry brigade.

They didn't have enough food or equipment, they didn't have maps, and they didn't have walkie-talkies.

They said they weren't afraid because their commanders reassured them that they wouldn't be in combat.

A drafted Russian soldier told the paper that he saw many of his fellow soldiers being killed near the eastern Ukrainian town of Pavlivka. Only eight of the 60 members of his platoon escaped serious injury.

"This isn't war, it's the destruction of the Russian people by their own commanders," Mikhail told the paper.

After the call-up of Russian conscripts, there were widespread reports of minimal training for the new soldiers, and many were reported to have been killed.

Interviews with Russian soldiers, obtained documents, and intercepts were used to detail Russia's failures in the conflict.

The investigation painted a bleak picture of the inner workings of Putin's failed invasion.

Previous reports have said that Russian soldiers were tricked about the invasion.

In September, The New York Times published dozens of audio recordings of Russian soldiers complaining that they were tricked and didn't know they were going to war.