'How do I get my soldier son back?' - Russian mother's plea

[Guno צְבִי]

Putin has directly addressed the mothers of soldiers serving in Ukraine, telling them: "I know how worried you are", and trying to reassure them. But some mothers, grandmothers, sisters and girlfriends have been telling the BBC they are desperately anxious about loved ones in the military - young men who appear to have had little idea what they were being sent to do.

When Marina hadn't heard from her grandson for more than a week, she started making calls. In his final message to her, he said he was on the Belarus-Ukraine border and would be home soon. But with no news since, she fears the worst.

"I phoned his military unit, they said he hadn't left [Russia]. 'I said - are you joking? He contacted me from Belarus. Do you not know where your soldiers go?' They hung up and didn't talk to me any more."

Marina's grandson Nikita was originally a conscript. Men in Russia aged 18-27 who do not have an exemption - such as studying or looking after young children - are drafted into the military for a year.

But Marina says in Nikita's first few days of service, representatives of military units arrived in their region, hoping to get conscripts to become contracted soldiers in order to lengthen their military service and earn a salary. Contractors make up the bulk of Russia's junior service personnel.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...ier-son-back-russian-mother-s-plea/ar-AAUMZq2

 

[Cypress]

I read that the reason Russian military officers coerce conscripts into signing contacts is because by Russian law conscripts are only supposed to serve in Russia for national defense. They are not supposed to be sent to the front lines in foreign wars.

 

[Yakuda]

Putin has directly addressed the mothers of soldiers serving in Ukraine, telling them: "I know how worried you are", and trying to reassure them. But some mothers, grandmothers, sisters and girlfriends have been telling the BBC they are desperately anxious about loved ones in the military - young men who appear to have had little idea what they were being sent to do.

When Marina hadn't heard from her grandson for more than a week, she started making calls. In his final message to her, he said he was on the Belarus-Ukraine border and would be home soon. But with no news since, she fears the worst.

"I phoned his military unit, they said he hadn't left [Russia]. 'I said - are you joking? He contacted me from Belarus. Do you not know where your soldiers go?' They hung up and didn't talk to me any more."

Marina's grandson Nikita was originally a conscript. Men in Russia aged 18-27 who do not have an exemption - such as studying or looking after young children - are drafted into the military for a year.

But Marina says in Nikita's first few days of service, representatives of military units arrived in their region, hoping to get conscripts to become contracted soldiers in order to lengthen their military service and earn a salary. Contractors make up the bulk of Russia's junior service personnel.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...ier-son-back-russian-mother-s-plea/ar-AAUMZq2

Communism at it's best

 

[PoliTalker]

Hello Cypress,

I read that the reason Russian military officers coerce conscripts into signing contacts is because by Russian law conscripts are only supposed to serve in Russia for national defense. They are not supposed to be sent to the front lines in foreign wars.

It sounded like the conscripts do not even get paid. If they sign a contract, then they earn a salary.

 

[Cypress]

Hello Cypress,



It sounded like the conscripts do not even get paid. If they sign a contract, then they earn a salary.

A 12 month conscription stint is pretty short, and risk-free of being sent to foreign wars.

I suspect the ranking officers had to coerce and trick a lot of 18 year old kids to switch from conscription to a professional military contract.

 

[PoliTalker]

Hello Cypress,

A 12 month conscription stint is pretty short, and risk-free of being sent to foreign wars.

I suspect the ranking officers had to coerce and trick a lot of 18 year old kids to switch from conscription to a professional military contract.

Oh, we can only imagine. The whole unit gets sent to the border. They train for a time and bond. Then it is announced that the unit is going to be reassigned and get all these perks, but only for the contractors. Sign on and stay on, enjoy the benefits. Let your imagination wander as to what the benefits might be. The conscripts will be sent back to some undesirable place / assignment. No pressure.

 

[Yakuda]

Hello Cypress,



Oh, we can only imagine. The whole unit gets sent to the border. They train for a time and bond. Then it is announced that the unit is going to be reassigned and get all these perks, but only for the contractors. Sign on and stay on, enjoy the benefits. Let your imagination wander as to what the benefits might be. The conscripts will be sent back to some undesirable place / assignment. No pressure.

Would you expect less from communists?

 

[Nordberg]

A 12 month conscription stint is pretty short, and risk-free of being sent to foreign wars.

I suspect the ranking officers had to coerce and trick a lot of 18 year old kids to switch from conscription to a professional military contract.

It is Russia. they can just change it all by saying "you stay in until I say so".

 

[Nordberg]

I saw someone interview Russian soldiers who said they were fighting against America. Propaganda works.