A senior Russian official on June 19 inadvertently confirmed the staggering troop losses incurred by Moscow's forces during its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with CNN, Russian Ambassador to the U.K. Andrey Kelin was asked about Moscow's maximalist intentions in Ukraine and its ability to recruit enough
        • markko@lemmy.worldEnglish
          29·
          5 days ago

          This spring marks the highest rate of military conscription that Russia has seen in 14 years. In late March, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a decree ordering 160,000 men aged 18 to 30 to be called up.

          According to Ukraine’s Eastern Human Rights Group (EHRG), at least 300 people from the occupied territories were conscripted into the Russian army in fall 2024

          “After their training, many conscripts are sent to the front upon signing a contract with the Russian army,” Lysianskyi says. This decision is sometimes voluntary, but often made under duress due to a lack of alternatives, he adds.

          https://www.dw.com/en/how-russia-recruits-troops-in-occupied-ukrainian-territories/a-72289013

          Russian authorities continue to conscript Ukrainian civilians in occupied areas or otherwise try to forcibly enlist them, including those in detention, into the Russian military

          https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/20/russia-forces-ukrainians-occupied-areas-military

          “She explained that it was in a military camp, and that I would be like a caretaker with tasks like cleaning and cooking…”

          But once in Russia, Samuel was in for a surprise. Instead of cooking utensils and cleaning products, he was given a Kalashnikov – which he accepted very reluctantly.

          Samuel found himself in uniform without knowing exactly who he was fighting for, or in which unit. “The contracts they made us sign are doctored. We don’t have a copy of the document, so we don’t get the salary we were supposed to. Apparently, the Russian commander who made us sign gets part of it back, so it’s a whole chain.”

          https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20250117-african-troops-forced-to-ukraine-frontlines-while-russians-stay-in-camp

        • manxu@piefed.socialEnglish
          114·
          5 days ago

          The amount of money they get for signing on is so staggeringly huge, it is one of the drivers of the high inflation they are having.

        • laranis@lemmy.zipEnglish
          21·
          5 days ago

          If they’re lying about the casualty rate then even rational people aren’t given the facts to make intelligent decisions.

          I’d bet if they were told the truth no amount of incentive would get them to sign up.