Mother Of Russian Convict Tells Of How Son Was Recruited As Mercenary

Olga Smirnova thought that her 25-year-old son was serving a 3-year sentence in a Russian prison for theft. But she was shocked to learn that he had been wounded in eastern Ukraine after joining Russia's Vagner mercenary group.
Originally published at - www.rferl.org/a/vagner-group-...
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[@The_ZeroLine]

“We’re upgrading your sentence for theft to death.” is literally what happened here. Olga Romanova has been a critical source of information about prison recruitment.

[@verbal_DK]

actually, it all depends on how one looks at it... I see it this way - the state institutions of the Russian Federation "upgraded" a petty thief to a hired killer. But the hunter became the hunted. p.s. oh, I almost forgot - "Everything is going according to plan".

[@luke_skywanker7643]

I see I'm not the only one who thought of that "upgrade." I was surprised, however, that Wagner Group offered his mother $650 for being wounded.

[@kiabtoomlauj6249]

@@luke_skywanker7643 $650 is about half a day's work for an extremely skilled, specialized technical person in the US or Western European. I've known specialized tutors for the SAT, etc. charged around $200 an hour... so for a man's life, $650 --- for being wounded in the battlefield --- is exceptionally cheap.... in a struggle against another nation that's using (it was reported to Putin very clearly when he marched into Kyiv) NATO grade weapon systems having GPS. Once you go into Ukraine, especially as a conscripted convicted, be it for for minor theft or for murder, you chances of leaving the country are somewhat low....

[@luke_skywanker7643]

@@kiabtoomlauj6249 That's some pretty good cheese for a half-day's work.

[@MegaFregel]

@@kiabtoomlauj6249 the density in your comment…

[@aliancemd]

650$ for potentially losing an arm. A few more limbs and his mother could buy a used Lada

[@nunyadambusiness6902]

Does she get a brand new one if an arty round takes his head off?... 🤔

[@tunahxushi4669]

It's funny because it's true...

[@nunyadambusiness6902]

@@milkman713 the Russians & German notzis were WELL KNOWN for sending their penal battalions thru suspected minefields especially if they thought the minefield had AP mines in it... If you didn't walk forward shoulder to shoulder when told, they just shot you to make an example... Wouldn't be a bit surprised if they were doing that NOW with all the criminals & grapists the pulled from the prisons... ⚰️⚰️⚰️🪦🪦🪦

[@MdeGreat]

😅🥴😵‍💫🤢

[@pexxajohannes1506]

And mother drives Lada and ends up loosing arms, legs or life. And getting maybe the 650$ fir compensation...

[@OstblockLatina]

Russian youth is paying for their parents' and grandparents' apathy and indifference in the face of dictature. This woman as a mother and countless other people agreeing to being two-legged stomachs and slaves of the regime have brought that fate onto their children.

[@c.a.saunders2819]

@Ostblock Latina, Extremely well said. 100% correct. Dictators operate from a constant fear of the population wondering just when the population is going to figure things out, and do something about it. If nothing happens, they keep going. 🇺🇲🇺🇦 Glory to God, Victory for Ukraine, Rise Free Nations!

[@user-in8jh6qe8s]

Наивные. 😜👍

[@luke_skywanker7643]

You're right about that. Look how many fascist regimes are springing up in the world today. Just wait until they start flexing their muscles and the people who allowed them, even fostered them, suddenly realize they can't do anything about them. People are so stupid sometimes.

[@localvetUK]

That sums up life in Putler's Russia "you can die when I let you"

[@andersgrassman6583]

This is reason I don't quite feel wholeheartedly sad for the Russian people. They are responsible for this shit comming upon them. (Go vote! That's the minimum you can do!)

[@Bolivar2012able]

IT'S A ONEWAY TRIP WITH THIS WAGNER GROUP. AND NEVER EXPECT TO SEE ANY MONEY GOING TO YOUR FAMILY. THEY ARE AS MUCH THIEVES AS THE GUYS THEY'RE SENDING TO WAR.

[@tunahxushi4669]

You mean an ignorant Russian mother cannot get blood money out of a brutally corrupt and murderous paramilitary group? Hmmm...

[@FreeBayArea]

Just do your 3 years and go home. Not worth dying to get out early

[@literalghost929]

Defending your country isn't worth dying? What's funny is that it seems to be true for the US, and I'm not blaming them at all, at this point I'd say the same for my own country; Canada. But for Russia, many seem to think it worth it. Go figure! 🤷‍♂

[@literalghost929]

In other words; he likely accepted because he thought the cause worth it, not to just get out early. IMHO, seems a good opportunity to pay your debt to society. If they're treated equally vs other soldiers, don't see anything wrong with it.

[@jonthinks6238]

@@literalghost929 wrong

[@literalghost929]

@@jonthinks6238 wrong what

[@jackbarnes9728]

@@literalghost929 Easy to see you dont understand what "time" is.

[@protorhinocerator142]

Sadly, this is now the norm. If they didn't get him for a fake crime (probably) they would have just Luhansked him off the street and sent him anyway.

[@The_ZeroLine]

Exactly

[@literalghost929]

Yes, no crime is committed in Russia, all innocents put in jail so they can be recruited. Makes PERFECT sense.

[@ollie1024]

where are my pro-Russians? I used to get a lot of comments from them how Russia would never lose. I don’t get anything from them anymore. I miss embarrassing them.

[@literalghost929]

appears their comments get gone lol Btw, tactical retreat != losing a war.

[@grillhero7247]

They got mobilized?

[@mr_benn_escapes_lockdown1780]

Hard to type when drone grenades are dropping on you day and night or you are jumping into a looted car and running away as fast as you can.

[@EBDavis111]

They're a little quite since yesterdays' election results went so poorly for them.

[@crookedpaths6612]

$650 for 1/4 of a Russian soldier. Probably pick a whole one up for $5000. If she had the money, she could pay to get him out. Let’s be honest, money is worth a lot more to the Vagners than soldier’s lives.

[@victoriaa9107]

Stand strong Ukraine! And God bless all the people of good will!

[@fridamaldonado8426]

Prayers for ukraine 🇺🇦🙏🇺🇦🙏🇺🇦🙏🇺🇦🙏🇺🇦🙏🇺🇦🙏🙏🇺🇦🙏

[@tominmtnvw]

That mother's child is hardly an adult. There is no way he should have been in the military. The United States no 1 is forced to Join the military and fight. We have an all volunteer force. Russia is an abomination.

[@bigwhitie5126]

One less Russian increases the chances of a Ukrainian child growing up. There is only one good Russian.

[@Grimdarkog]

25 is plenty old, please.

[@shadytree965]

America didn't draft recruits for the Vietnam War then 🤔 whose average age was 19

[@luke_skywanker7643]

I was 19 when I first went into army boots. That was a LOT of years ago.

[@literalghost929]

He's 25 ..........! Where do you live? Genuinely curious: What's the age of a child vs adult in your opinion?

[@marisabenson1222]

Sickening.... but to her I'd say this is your president, your country and you should consider the deeper issues as to how this happened so easily and how unimportant and irrelevant your feelings of pain and injustice are to those who hold power. You (she) must also bear responsibility for her son's predicament just as all the other crying mothers, daughters, wives, lovers and sisters must and in fact the men in the trenches fighting either voluntarily or not, must also blame themselves. People say it's too dangerous to complain or protest but it took years of apathy and fear to give up so much control and agency. Now Russia is moving back to Stalin's fascism.

[@sheikhhamdanbinmohammedbinrash]

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[@daryldaryl913]

Yes. There are enough young men in Russia with education that enlightens them to action against Putin and the Kremlin. I believe they lack the courage of a good Leader that has a deep hatred of Putin. ( also Putins KGB are very average with a terrible track record of blunders and stupidity ) so protection of the evil one is not secured. Weapons are not difficult to get and more easier lately due to corruption and the market. Just need pissed off ex soldiers that have been duped by the leadership ( there are thousands of them ). I also believe once Russian patriots feel their power they will topple the bald Gollum that has abused them for so many decades. Needs a big push and away it goes!

[@catherineandpaulfuters2523]

Stay strong and never give up 🇪🇺🇺🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦🇬🇧

[@sheikhhamdanbinmohammedbinrash]

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[@glenspryszak6005]

Well, this is one way of emptying out the prisons and saving a lot of money in the process. This is a great way to reduce the future crime rate.

[@froobtoob]

"just because you can't shoot doesn't mean you can't clear mines. Start walking Comrade or those who can still shoot will."

[@juice6459]

At this point the russian people deserve to suffer for the atrocities committed in Ukraine.

[@cypeman8037]

I didn't raise him to go to war, I raised him to be a career criminal.

[@brian8410]

Theft, which is the same as corruption in russia starts at the top and works it's way down. I know it was only 4 Lada hubcaps, but if Pootin doesn't get 1 of them then 3 yrs jail for you.

[@petergibbons607]

first sentence "i'm against this war" let me autocomplete that "but i'm not gonna lift a finger trying to stop it"

[@stone1343]

That was my thought exactly. She says she's against the war to get our sympathy but her son signed a contract to murder Ukrainians.

[@Thetequilashooter1]

Russia has become an example of how a leadership should not run a country.

[@joesbanjointerests9281]

In the last 2 years, the USA has become an example of how liberal leadership can ruin a country

[@Thetequilashooter1]

@@joesbanjointerests9281 I’m with you there! Our borders have become a mess, inflation is skyrocketing, crime rates have risen, and our country is more divided now than ever. The only thing that I agree with Joe is helping Ukraine.

[@literalghost929]

@@Thetequilashooter1 'helping' ............ Jesus, if by helping you mean ....... Nevermind..... Yeah sure, he's 'helping' Ukraine ....................................! God help us all...

[@Thetequilashooter1]

@@literalghost929 Spell it out and don’t be so vague. You don’t believe that Biden has been helping Ukraine defend itself, or are you a Putin supporter?

[@literalghost929]

@@Thetequilashooter1 Loaded question. It's not about 1 man right? Long history also, non-respect Minsk agreements, 2014, NATO expansion, Azov, bad treatment of ethnic russians, etc. Without condoning, I understand.

[@NoSuffix]

Sending prisoners to the front line is certainly a "one stone two birds" solution.

[@simpdefendmlady6579]

They should send female prisoners as well.

[@jadeh2699]

@@simpdefendmlady6579 🤣🤣🤣🤣 That would stop the war! The Russians would be too busy mixing it up to have time to fight.

[@PiscaCPT]

You didn't rise your son tô be a soldier, but tô be a criminal...

[@tunahxushi4669]

Thinking that myself. Not a soldier by the thief. But by now, both soldier and the thief. There's probably millions of washing machines and computers missing.

[@ncacia8]

Watched Zolkin Volodymyr (KZbin video posts), where at least two captured Russian POWs were interviewed and said that they had applied for jobs (non-military) from offers from various construction and service companies online (Europolis (spelling?). After accepting the jobs they were secretly sent to Ukraine to fight as Vagner mercenaries! Totally deceived and secretly sent to the front lines and essentially made to fight. Very interesting interviews!

[@6AlphaMikeCharlie9]

yeah i watch them, most of them are a bit slow in the head.

[@VechniHitove]

They are lying.

[@oblivionzzzmike]

@@VechniHitove ok Boris, you seem the expert

[@afcgeo882]

That’s a VERY unlikely story. POWs lie all the time.

[@garyfilmer382]

Dead man walking. Slava Ukraini!🇺🇦

[@user-in8jh6qe8s]

Да и хрен с тобой.

[@certaindeaf8315]

This is a clear case of fuck around and find out.

[@outdoorfreedom9778]

I was in the US Army from 68 to 70. We all had a $10k insurance policy for death but no one got any money for a wound. In 68 the US Army was mostly conscripted right after the TET offensive. Judges were offering young me the choice between prison or the military depending on their crime. America isn't all that squeaky clean either. At least in America, everyone was fully trained

[@donaldlyons17]

Yep and some who decided not to go got jail right? WTF people don’t forget past wars from places your from!!

[@cabooseabs6864]

Judges in America still give some youth offenders the option of jail or join the military. Now that's usually only offered to young people who have a relatively minor crime like theft or assault. Here in the US a friend of mine got arrested for stealing a car and he was given that option and took it. He was on a very dangerous path before joining the military and it really did turn his life around. In the US the offer to join the military instead of prison isn't to get bodies for cannon fodder. It's to give someone who is out of control some structure/discipline and a possible career. It's actually a really good option for most people. Even if you join the US military your chances of seeing combat isn't that high and even if you do your chances of not coming home are very small.

[@dg7438]

His nickname is now.. Kanon Fodor

[@TheMatze0]

Kanon Fjodr

[@mr_benn_escapes_lockdown1780]

or RIP

[@cherl7365]

Mom in Trinidad carribbean am so sorry for the people are used as pawn for this mad man ego But God

[@Michael-tk9ux]

Remember when women fought so their sons, brothers and husbands would have equal rights? Me neither

[@moritamikamikara3879]

Well, I guess this is why all the Moscal soldiers say "Please don't tell mom I'm in Luhansk"

[@wf6951]

That would account for 98% of soldiers saying this.

[@anthonymorris2276]

I am guessing that such a handsome boy would not have had a good time in a Russian prison. Perhaps Mother does not fully understand how desperate he was to get out.

[@literalghost929]

'boy' ... He's 25. A boy/child is considered by definition: "a young person especially between infancy and puberty". 25 is way past that. He's an adult.

[@anthonymorris2276]

@@literalghost929 I would say that, at 25, he is still a young person. An adult, yes, but still young. However, the semantics don't really matter to the point I was making. In every prison system in the world, young men -- especially attractive young men -- are victims of sexual abuse. The extent of such abuse is inversely proportionate to the resourcing, integrity, education and professionalism of the prison administration. That is, sexual abuse cannot be entirely prevented, but the incidence reduces if the prison administration is well-resourced, free from corruption, well-educated and conscientious. Knowing what we do about Russian prisons, it seems reasonable to deduce that the administration is under-resourced, corrupt, uneducated, and (at best) nonchalant about what happens to prisoners. It may be the case -- as in many prison systems -- that the administration takes the view that exposure to sexual abuse is simply part of the punishment. For these reasons, it is possible -- I put it no higher than that -- that Artyom Smirnov may have had reasons for wishing to leave prison, quite apart from the discomfort of being confined behind prison walls. And, if that were the case, he would not necessarily have wanted to explain to his mother why he was anxious to sign up for the front lines. This does not make what happened to him any less despicable. Indeed, it is more despicable if the Wagner Group knowingly took advantage of the fact that a prisoner like Artyom Smirnov is vulnerable in the Russian prison system to non-judicial "punishment" beyond merely serving out his sentence.

[@Valentinegal]

Sad for her.. and him

[@trentriver]

What a sad situation.

[@user-in8jh6qe8s]

Ужасс😜😄😅🤪🤦‍♂️

[@tolitsdterrible4785]

He's the perfect candidate for recruitment. He already has the qualification... he's a thief. 🤣

[@oneanywhere8561]

In Russia, human life is two a penny, let alone the value of a convict's life.

[@TheDrAstrov]

Does it warm you that your life is worth 5 pennies somewhere?

[@lightghost7524]

Russian women live 12 years more than men on average. It's men's lives that don't matter, not "human"

[@Teacher2Polis2XtraRice]

Human life in Russia is garbage.

[@TheDrAstrov]

@@lightghost7524 So only ghouls think

[@oneanywhere8561]

@@Teacher2Polis2XtraRice -Human life in- R is garbage. This statement is lapidary!

[@gph2k]

I already commented b4 recruitment.. they ain't coming home.

[@ogilvienator]

Should have kept his hands to his self

[@geordieb3959]

The Ukraine Special forces should be seeking to terminate the leader/leaders of the Vagner group !!!

[@droiduser1984]

Killing Putin's chef? Who would feed little man Pouty Pootie then? 😂

[@maxros8102]

and kadyrov roo

[@luke_skywanker7643]

I'm sure they're working on it.

[@heekyungkim8147]

I feel for these mothers pain…. No moms wants their son to go to this war…

[@albertalberto9988]

the indistinguishable most important sign of "good luck" in the Russian people, is his sadistic cruelty (Maxim Gorky. 1868-1936. Russian writer and playwright)

[@albertalberto9988]

@cat on a hot tin roof What about the poisoning of 1000's children from Kurdistan ?Saddam just like Putin killed more people in Iraq Russi and Ukraine all together

[@davethebrahman9870]

Impossible for Russian soldiers to feel honourable fighting next to these people.

[@spunkysparks1779]

Her son looks so fearful in his eyes in those pictures of him. Sas

[@dunnkruger8825]

Theft Prison Or Put into the line of fire W.O training That’ll deter crime Not a bad idea Vlad

[@nunyadambusiness6902]

The ones who have actual situational awareness will quickly learn by paying attention - the ones who don't will get buried... So far the Ukrainians have gone from taking 2:1 losses to 1:2 kill rate & putin is losing whole army groups... 💀💀💀⚰️⚰️⚰️🪦🪦🪦

[@KONAMAN100]

That's right, you raised him to be an honorable Orc tea leaf. He knows his place.

[@lynnmcquillan2338]

Wow - sad story for this lady & her Son / who are the criminals 😢

[@gamer-wd2qr]

Since he is alive compensation $650 if he was dead 0 compensation since the family don't know if their love one join the mercenary.

[@misterserious3522]

I promise you massive corruption is the norm in anything in Russia having to do with money from govt. Most of the dead soldiers will be left behind and classified as missing and no money will go to the families because pirates are pirates and thats Russian culture to prey on the weak and powerless. How do you think Pootie got his billion dollar vacation home and his personal fleet of aircraft and vehicles and sent all his kids to live lives of luxury in the west?

[@davidroosa4561]

at least he's alive

[@palodoxaliqua5809]

And now he can help organize others to better kill innocent people instead of voluntarily doing it himself. How fortunate /s

[@robertspringer4019]

Compensation for his hand wound is laughable.

[@redeyedmongoose2963]

It seems he chose killing people over being in jail….why should I pity him?

[@tabbycat6458]

The look on his face does not say I volunteer

[@pakde8002]

$650 for loss of an arm if he finishes his contract.. He can still walk so he can clear minefields. She'll not even get compensated enough for decent burial. At least she was able to speak to him one last time.

[@pwk22]

What a corrupt and vile society.

[@gloriatg100]

That guy just wanted to get out of prison

[@pablodelsegundo9502]

Prison or death/dismemberment.

[@edwardwilcox6606]

@@pablodelsegundo9502 It could be that he thought the war was going well for Russia as that is the narrative there. Last I heard Russians had been told they`ve only lost 6500 troops perhaps he thought they may be good odds as opposed to being locked-up. If he knew it was more like 75000 then maybe he`d have been more circumspect?!

[@nyareyes8618]

Glory glory Father Bear will send Cub to much much training. Very many kit to be outfit wit. What a glorious Cub Scout Soldier

[@johndilivio2770]

Politicians in the world a pain in the neck

[@elsie412ok]

“He uses their bodies to clear minefields in Ukraine and reduces the budget.” Horrifying.

[@lappieslabuschagne2428]

Very good thing. At least he is doing something positive. All criminals should be utilised and not kept behind bars and fed.

[@RandomDudeOne]

Yeah, you don't need to feed criminals when they are dead.

[@johnnyfreedom3437]

Maybe Russian mothers should go have a talk with Putin!

[@yvonnetomenga5726]

I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier, I brought him up to be my pride and joy, Who dares to put a musket on his shoulder To shoot some other mother's darling boy? Let nations arbitrate their future troubles, lt time to lay the sword and gun away, There'd be no war today, If mothers all would say, I didn't raise my boy to be a soldier. WWI song "I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldier" is an American anti-war song that was influential within the pacifist movement that existed in the United States before it entered World War I. It is one of the first anti-war songs. Lyricist Alfred Bryan collaborated with composer Al Piantadosi in writing the song, which inspired a sequel, some imitations, but also a number of scornful parodies. It was recorded by The Peerless Quartet in December 1914 and was a hit in 1915, selling 650,000 copies. Its expression of popular pacifist sentiment "helped make the pacifist movement a hard, quantifiable political reality to be reckoned with."

[@anjaoldnettle2841]

Yes!

[@droiduser1984]

Someone needs to make a song that starts with -- "The only thing needed for evil to win is for all good people to do nothing"

[@yvonnetomenga5726]

@@droiduser1984 • I wish someone could translate the above lyrics into Russian with a Russian friendly tune so the mothers, wives, sisters, children could sing it as they demonstrate. The U.S.A. has a bunch of good anti-war songs from the sixties that could be translated to Russian. Songs tend to stick in people's heads which is one of the reasons the U.S.A. went after Pete Seeger. The songs could be targeted at the Russian ex-pats who would bring or share them back home. Just a thought.

[@sheikhhamdanbinmohammedbinrash]

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[@luke_skywanker7643]

@@yvonnetomenga5726 It's a great thought. There's a LOT of 60's and early 70's songs that we should have been hearing in America's past few decades. It's like nobody ever learned anything from our past mistakes. "For What It's Worth," (Buffalo Springfield) would be one to include.

[@sergepajcin1255]

You should be proud of your son not coward

[@robertthompson1254]

He signed a contract and he's lucky he wasn't killed. He decided to go to war with no training.

[@acedynamo]

Signs up for 6 months, gets out of jail, shot in the arm 1 month later. Mom collects $650 and the kid spends the next couple months recovering away from the front. That's not so bad, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these guys are wounding themselves on purpose.

[@afcgeo882]

It’s unlikely he’ll be released at end of contract.

[@brada2354]

Didn't raise him to fight in a war but you raised him to be a jail bird, makes sense.

[@6AlphaMikeCharlie9]

i know right 😁

[@Warum_Nicht]

This is very sad. We need to remember that many of the mobilized orcs are people too.

[@mariampetilla5890]

3 yrs imprisonment to 6 Months contract to fight in Ukraine... 650 compensation for losing his arm. But he can serve only less than a year in prison for good behaviour.

[@ianallen2]

Is she proud of her son for being a criminal or a killer at war. If he has not surrendered, he wont last long.

[@RH-cv1rg]

I didn't raise him to fight in the war. Did you raise him to be a thief?

[@hopper131]

She didn't raise him to fight in war, but she doesn't seem concerned with him being a criminal.

[@DennisNeijmeijer]

In Russia, calling the war a war makes you a criminal. Keep that in mind....

[@EBDavis111]

Being a criminal is better than being a Russian soldier.

[@hopper131]

@@EBDavis111 You're missing the point because there is currently no legal difference between being a Russian soldier and a criminal. War of expantionist aggression is a war crime as per the ICJ in the Hague.

[@brucelamberton8819]

$650. No sack of potatoes and a couple of fish?

[@kalinaribic6383]

Why didn't he just say "No, I'd rather serve my sentence with honour than to lose my life invading someone else's country for tyrants like you "? That's what I would say.

[@johndilivio2770]

Family first then country

[@nordland2235]

I had one of those russki hats...mine had red star on it......also had long wool coat.....I wore it when I went ice fishing in winter...very warm.

[@droiduser1984]

Did you try sitting in a deep trench in -30 weather for 2 weeks instead of inside a heated fishing hut?

[@nordland2235]

@@droiduser1984 I live in the great lakes...it gets cold here also....I have no ice shanty...sit on upside down bucket....it gets so cold you can hear the lake roaring...making ice....spooky sound.

[@pablodelsegundo9502]

No pity for him from me, though I feel bad for his mom.

[@Michael-tk9ux]

Misandry is strong in this one

[@321findus]

He got promoted from criminal to war criminal

[@crowman5936]

Maybe if she raised her son better he wouldn't have been in prison.

[@michaeldaley1861]

The question is how do you run an evil empire you get there most vulnerable people and put them in war😅

[@siulapwa]

Empty all the prisons and send them to the front!!!

[@KONAMAN100]

They already have lol

[@josephfranzen9196]

What’s never been logical to me is that the PMC’s I’ve worked for all require a minimum of a combat arms MOS with preferably a combat deployment and completion of a single enlistment in the military. Often the shooters I worked with had qualifications well beyond the minimum, the logic behind needing to have prior military service is that there’s a standard of training so to speak. So while there may be minute differences the fundamentals remain the same and therefore it’s exponentially easier to achieve imposed objectives due to everyone having had a similar training pipeline in regards to tactics, logistics, SOPs, etc. I can’t imagine it being 2012 and working for Triple Canopy alongside a civilian who had never pied a corner, or conducted small unit warfare. It would have ended in casualties and failure

[@judysocal8682]

There is no logic to this whole "special military operation" other than they don't care about human life.

[@tunahxushi4669]

? Putin doesn't want the criminals coming back at all... That's the point... they are a drain on the economy according to Putin... He can no longer afford to harass and care for a huge penal system that doesn't benefit the Kremlin.

[@tedmccanna7164]

It is ending in casualties and failure.

[@buckbenelli8]

Logical? You mean like US veterans that support a treasonous, bankrupt NY playboy for their supreme leader? The guy that called our fallen soldiers in Normandy …. Losers! That kind of logic?

[@luke_skywanker7643]

That's why that one woman said they were "clearing minefields." They're probably clearing them the same way Zhukov cleared them during WW II with soldiers conscripted from penal colonies.

[@sab4793]

Wow. He is just a baby 😞

[@scoutdogfsr]

I'm not pro Russian but calling Vagner group mercenaries is incorrect. They are private military contractors. Mercenaries fight only for money and have no attachment to any particular cause. Even criminals deserve the distinction. Slava Ukraini! God bless the Ukraine freedom fighters! The world is on your side.

[@IGOROT225]

Are the Vagner group being paid? If so, then it's the same as the mercenaries.

[@oneanywhere8561]

Mercenariness is legally prohibited in Russia and punished by up to 20 years of imprisonment.

[@oneanywhere8561]

V is private in name only. It is just a front controlled and financed by the Russian authorities.

[@oneanywhere8561]

V = Vagner

[@oneanywhere8561]

YT censorship has gone berserk.

[@xavierviaene5022]

Last week I talked to S. a Tjetjen woman who immigrated 20 y ago to Belgium , who is in total distress about the where abouts of her brother, he was rallied up by force in Tjetjenia by this pro Russian government to go fight in Ukraine against his will ... Now she lost all contact with him, he is totally not trained nor prepared and she hasn't had any moment of rest since then ... This so called leader Kadyrov who is a hard liner and close ally of Putin and even suggested to use more force including nuclear ... when the Tjetjen population hates his guts , being sent as additional cannon fodder in a total senseless aggression ... ( same as other innocent Russian Poor people I pressume )

[@lynnehill727]

His mother never says that if her son had not been in prison, he would not have been conscripted. She is not even acknowledging that fact. 😒 😚🤭🤫🤔

[@nataliiateteruk585]

This woman should do as every woman in the world would do in that situation - shout out loud the dishust and discontempt for their bad ainistration!

[@sir_crab2080]

you didn’t raise him very well either

[@kathleenmann7311]

The Russian Babushkas are raising hell with their government 😁

[@ZWD2011]

This guy reminds me of the main character in All quiet at the Western front. Pointless wars...

[@j.romanorov]

So sad to see some 2 nations to suffer going thru such rough sentiments for lossing beloved people into a nonsense war... The problem is that the people suffer start hate earch other,only the leaders and them bastards swim in tons of money and security and these mothers cry for them lost sons,some do not have at least a grave to grieve at.

[@sab4793]

He signed a contract w the devil.

[@Jems_Poodles]

They have also made room in the jails. Maybe in case of any uprise I suppose..

[@krijnvanlaar8680]

Well, you've made your bed, now lie in it.

[@observationsfromthefringe9048]

They have no respect for human life. Not even there own countrymen.

[@johnjanssens8998]

I don't feel sorry for him. First he steals and second he signs a contract to go to war. Action have consequences. You raised a fool with no morals.

[@robertstevens1537]

This is an easy way to drop state costs and get a more compliant citizenry. The other Group that I am sure the state wishes to rid itself of is anyone young enough to fight who has or will have a pension. A lot of this is cost cutting.

[@brian8410]

Enlist in ruzzian army and begin a career of looting. Make your way up the ranks and sell army equipment on the black market. Being a theif is a noble profeesion in russia. Just by being in the military makes it legal.

[@WTFCKR]

If he didn't want to, he wouldn't go. He could hide with his mother or run away into the forest, as many in Russia do. However, he wanted to be an occupier in the foreign land of Ukraine.

[@EQuake2290]

How do you know he had the opportunity to escape? Were you there?

[@lolawants2008]

You don’t even know what lies he may have been told.

[@WTFCKR]

@@lolawants2008 He has his own head and he could think. It's just that most russians are not used to thinking themselves. Their leader always decides for them. This is a type of feudal slave society.

[@WTFCKR]

@@EQuake2290 I watch russian opposition channels and ukrainian media in these languages ​​in the original and I know that there is always a choice.

[@WTFCKR]

@@davidf2118 Not certainly in that way. Previously, they were all slavs, but now they are only russians and belarusians. These two nations have this medieval asian mentality.

[@magzhanshu]

Мега хорош пацан

[@Angels-3xist]

It’s the cruelty of their state that’s so absurd and abhorrent. These are people. Not meat. Human lives. In some cases innocent and defenseless and ill trained or ill equipped men are sent to the battlefield to be blown up and used as cannon fodder. One of the most shocking things about this war is how many innocent men were forced to be killed in combat. People who had no place or desire to be there. Forced to take orders that led to suffering and atrocity that has no respect for human life on any side or life of any kind. This man may have committed a crime but there is not justice involved. It was all just an attempt to clear prison space through sacrifice.

[@maka2210angel9_devil]

Somehow can he be get captured by Ukrainian soldiers?

[@igormor5430]

All these russian human rights activists only complaint against one and only one thing: that drafted guys, including prisoners don't get enough training before going to the war. So, the fact that they go to the war is fine? Or if they are trained enough, there will be no complaints?🤦‍♂️ Btw, most of the families of drafted guys has the same logic

[@billwhite1603]

If not forced, anyone would serve a three year sentence instead of huge chance of dying. Just like private prisons in America that get paid per day per prisoner, they have ways to extend prison time. I'm sure he was threatened with that. America must end private prisons. They serve food not fit to eat adds to about $0.50 a day. One thing is some kind of loaf.

[@donaldhysa4836]

3:08 cut to a random cat why dontcha? It is very important detail in the story!

[@srbadijaradovic6198]

With all do respect your son is over 18. Nothing to do with you, if he wants to fight in Ukraine, its his right. You might be his mother but ultimately, he is over the age of consent, so that makes him responsible for his own life. If I was in his position - with a 3 year jail sentence looming, I would sign the military contract in a bid to make it out of jail, and then run off West wards first chance I get. That's what I'd do. Because realistically Russian jails are not fit for purpose. And if this lady was smart, she'd tell her son to do just that - to save his life...