this post was submitted on 21 Aug 2023
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According to two Russian soldiers interviewed by a pro-invasion blogger, if you wear a Russian military uniform on the metro in Moscow people distance themselves and give you dirty looks.

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[–] Buelldozer@lemmy.today 161 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (7 children)

Could be that civilians don't want to be near them because they are scared. Russian soldiers returning from Ukraine are committing all sorts of violent crimes.

I mean would YOU want to be within 20' feet of someone who has a high likelihood of being drunk, suffering from PTSD, and a member of an especially violent and brutal military force?

[–] Etterra@lemmy.world 41 points 2 years ago

Don't forget that they might be rapists and murderers.

[–] themajesticdodo@lemmy.world 28 points 2 years ago

Plus they rape. A lot.

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[–] be_excellent_to_each_other@kbin.social 145 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (5 children)

“You go on the metro, and people stare at you because you wear a uniform. Again, I didn't go voluntarily, I received a summons and came to the military enlistment office.

At this point I had some sympathy.

I didn't run away or hide like you. I acted like a law-abiding citizen. But when I come on holiday, they point fingers at me,” the soldier said.

And then he lost my sympathy.

It's like certain problems we have in the US, just with different players.

When "law abiding" is placed before basic ethics, problems like these arise. It's also, sometimes (maybe not here) a smokescreen people use to justify their unethical behavior.

[–] Eheran@lemmy.world 63 points 2 years ago (1 children)

People like to use things like "I didn't make the rules" to justify bullshit - while actively enforcing them.

[–] ickplant@lemmy.world 53 points 2 years ago

“I was just obeying orders” - sounds familiar.

[–] Deestan@lemmy.world 46 points 2 years ago (5 children)

Yeah, draft dodging means maybe losing your freedom and the ability to provide for your children, which is a shit situation to be put in.

But the choice is between poverty and fucking murder. Your choice sucks, but you choose to be a monster. I spare my sympathy for those who choose to be not-murderers.

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 21 points 2 years ago (18 children)

But at the same time, they are absolutely being fed propaganda and don’t have an accurate view of what is going on in Ukraine.

[–] Deestan@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago

That is a valid point. I personally can't accept it changing the situation, but I won't hold it against anyone that do.

[–] uis@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I wanted to say they know how things are in reality, but suddenly remembered teacher in my school. Yep, some of them are completely brainwashed. Mostly those who will not be drafted. Either by being too old or having non-draftable sex(it would be funny if I'll get banned for this).

As Ekaterina Schulman says: this is unusual war. War is what Yong do, but this one is war of Old/Elders.

[–] First@programming.dev 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I read an interview of locals from an Ukrainian village that got invaded - the Russians rolled in and asked the locals "where are the Nazis? Lead us to them!", and were surprised that the locals just asked them to leave, instead of cheering for their "liberation ".

So the propaganda certainly reached the military, at least.

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[–] ArmokGoB@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 years ago

Draft dodging is probably worse in Russia.

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[–] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 20 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I mean, I can have sympathy for any soldier that's being forced to be a soldier. But the reality is, that sympathy dries up pretty quickly when it comes out that while being a soldier they're rapists and war criminals. At certain point 'just following orders' is no longer a valid excuse... and you reach that point long before raping civilian women or PoWs. or... you know... you're own troops while in a combat situation....

[–] schroedingershat@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

If a fascist hands you a gun and tells you to murder a bunch of people so that he can get wealthier and more powerful, you shoot him and ask those people for asylum. Anything else makes you a fascist too.

[–] SCB@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Counterpoint: fuck going to a Russian prison.

[–] uis@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago

I think there is 1:1 model of Russian prison cell somewhere in Netherlands. At least the type of cell where Navalny is held.

On the other there are rumors about people who commited crimes only to be found guilty and not being drafted as result, but they are rumors.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 9 points 2 years ago (1 children)

It's also not a defence. They don't have to follow orders.

They can just turn up get recruited and then surrender to Ukraine at the earliest safe opportunity if they want to. Plenty others have.

It is not patriotic to fight a unjust war, it is not patriotic to just do what you're told without thinking.

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[–] ladicius@lemmy.world 120 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Killing and raping is frowned upon? Really?

[–] Diplomjodler@feddit.de 32 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Nah, more like, look at that idiot who was too dumb to dodge the draft.

[–] IWantToFuckSpez@kbin.social 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I bet some people give dirty looks because they believe soldiers should die in the trenches protecting mother Russia and not ride the metro in Moscow with privileged Moscovites

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[–] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 61 points 2 years ago

The article below this is titled "Russian Soldier Proudly Admits to Killing POWs"

You know, entirely unrelated....

[–] xc2215x@lemmy.world 54 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Russian people are changing their minds it seems.

[–] quadropiss@lemmy.world 5 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Nope they aren't. I can assure you

[–] 13esq@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)
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[–] JoMiran@lemmy.ml 49 points 2 years ago (1 children)
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[–] Astroturfed@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There's a reason they've been trying to avoid drafting soldiers from Moscow/major metro areas. They're intentionally pulling more people from the ethnic minority rural regions. Problem is, they're running out of soldiers...

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[–] uis@lemmy.world 36 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Same applies to police for last ten years

[–] Chriskmee@lemm.ee 26 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Police choose to be police, aren't many of the Russian soldiers drafted or forced to serve at this point?

[–] uis@lemmy.world 14 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

You are correct, many of them conscripted, and even those who was on contract before after mobilization started their contracts became perpetual.

And police not only choose to be police, but also choose to beat students.

[–] severien@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (6 children)

You can still refuse to be drafted, you'll likely go into prison, but that's a better option than murdering people.

[–] Aux@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (3 children)

But prisoners get sent to war...

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[–] quadropiss@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Nah, more than 10 for sure. There's anti police slurs coming from as early as the 80-90s, like "Musora" which is a plural form of "trash"

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[–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.de 29 points 2 years ago

Not just in Moscow, Vatnik.

[–] _xDEADBEEF@lemm.ee 15 points 2 years ago

Can't imagine why...

[–] keeb420@kbin.social 13 points 2 years ago

oh no russian solders get spat upon in their home land. anyway...

[–] cloud@lazysoci.al 10 points 2 years ago (4 children)

The day we all start to see military with disgust it's the day wars will stop

[–] Fades@lemmy.world 18 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Even the Ukraine defenders?

[–] scarabic@lemmy.world 9 points 2 years ago

If it really is “we all” who come to this realization, there won’t be anything to defend Ukraine against.

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[–] Ubermeisters@lemmy.zip 16 points 2 years ago (20 children)

War won't ever stop. It's part of the human condition. Some persons and groups of people will always feel entitled to what others have on the basis of relative standing as viewed from thier viewpoint.

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[–] Ataraxia@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

Didn't stop Vietnam and those vets still get treated like shit

[–] uis@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Place for tanks is in museums,

Let them rust in quiet,

Even as toys

They should be forgotten.

My bad attempt to translate ELYSIUM - Tanks.

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[–] vlad76@lemmy.sdf.org 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)
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