‘I’m beginning to understand that we’re not on the right side.’ WSJ spoke to Russian fighters who surrendered in Ukraine. — Meduza
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The Wall Street Journal spoke to several Russian soldiers who surrendered to Ukraine and were taken prisoner in the early days of Ukraine’s offensive. The outlet confirmed the identities of the prisoners of war, but withheld their surnames and identifying pictures in their report. The men, “a mix of professionals, conscripts, and mercenaries” describe intense pressure from Russian military command and authorities in Russia to fight at any cost.

One captured Russian soldier says he worries about what will happen if he is returned to Russia in a prisoner swap. “If I have the opportunity, I’ll refuse to be exchanged." Another fighter reported that a doctor declared him unfit for combat after he was wounded in March, but his commander ordered him back to the front.

  • hoshikarakitaridia@lemmy.fmhy.mlEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    There’s documentaries about how rampant the propaganda is, that people get imprisoned and killed if they avoid service, and that there are rituals in the Russian military where soldiers steal money and food from other “platoons” just to survive. Not even starting to describe all different kinds of hazing going on there.

    What I’m saying is, what they do is wrong and there should be more critical thinking and more uproar in the Russian society, but considering how jaded ppl out there are to government fuckery and the precarious circumstances, the soldiers are the last ones to blame.

    Let’s stick to the all encompassing Fuck Putin.

    • 🇺🇦 seirim @lemmy.proEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Ok, I agree, and I know it’s all Putin’s fault. However:

      • He’s backed up by a broad elite and government and many in the populace naively hung ho
      • It’s soldierswho pull the trigger daily on missile strikes targeting civilian targets. It doesn’t matter the propaganda for the war to know it’s wrong
      • It’s soldiers committing the war crimes, many of them, of rape, torture, threat of killing and more. This was confirmed this past week by a UN report describing it as systemic, broadly consistent and widespread. Soldiers, humans, can and should know better.

      I was a soldier in the military long ago. I made a mental note of who around me who would do whatever they were told, no matter how bad it would be (and I asked them directly, not just my guessing) and those like me who would have a limit and decide to say no at some point. It was about 50/50.

      Soldiers aren’t robots, even if commanders wish they were. They are humans and should try to be humane and thoughtful. If the war you’re sent to fight doesn’t make any sense, ask questions and demand good answers. If it’s all shit, don’t do it.