Putin sends old men to fight on the front lines
According to some independent Russian media outlets, the Kremlin is recruiting soldiers on all fronts. In recent months, the flow of volunteers has been steadily decreasing and "ideal" recruits have been replaced by men sent to the front line under threat or for big money.
The number of Russian soldiers over 50 has increased on the front line since the beginning of the year. Some military personnel complain about this: "Older colleagues can't stand life on the front line, they can't drag heavy backpacks or dig trenches."
According to the Defense Ministry magazine "Military Commissariats of Russia", only 20.8% of Russian volunteers going to war against Ukraine have higher education.
The majority of volunteers (47%) have a specialized secondary education, while 32.2% have a secondary education. In addition, almost 80% are employed and 20.5% are unemployed. It's also noted that more than 50% of volunteers are single.
Most volunteers have already served in the army.
According to the Ministry of Defense: "A modern Russian volunteer is a highly motivated, patriotic-minded reservist ready to defend the Motherland."
(MH with FM/Source: RBC UKraine/Photo: Filip Andrejevic/Unsplash)