Ukraine war: 'I will break my arm, my leg... anything to avoid the draft' Russian says

[bronxiteforever]

Ukraine war: 'I will break my arm, my leg... anything to avoid the draft'
By Olesya Gerasimenko & Liza Fokht
BBC News Russian
September 22,2022

For many Russian men the Kremlin's decision to call up 300,000 military reservists for the war in Ukraine came as a shock. In the big cities, Russia's seven-month war on its neighbour has always seemed a long way away. But as soon as President Vladimir Putin's address was over, it hit home.

…Office messaging chats exploded with anxious discussions of what would happen next. Plans were made on how to avoid being sent to the front line. "It was like a sci-fi movie from the 1980s. A bit scary to be honest with you," says Dmitry, 28, who works in an office in St Petersburg. Staff could not start their working day, glued to the speech on their TV, computer and mobile phone screens. He excused himself from the office after lunch and went to exchange roubles for dollars at a nearby bank.

… Mikhail, 25… is now worried by President Putin's nuclear weapons threat and will stay in Russia, close to his family. "We're in a state of panic. In my town many have already received call-up papers… He had recently secured a good job in Tbilisi but now sees it as pointless because of Vladimir Putin's military escalation.
"On 21 September, he managed to destroy even the mess he first made on 24 February [the start of the invasion]," Mikhail said. "I've stopped caring completely, I only live for today."

Much more here

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62992365

[ck4829]

1. That shouldn't have to happen, this was a war of choice, on Putin and the Kremlin's part

[Oneironaut]

2. The thing about Russia is, they couldn't give a shit about human life - even their own.

These draftees are going to receive a day of training, probably be given a magazine of ammo and a 40-year-old rusty AK-47, and will be told to sacrifice themselves.

It’s just a matter of attrition at this point. These draftees are going to be almost useless except for manual labor and being cannon fodder. Half of them are going to run or surrender.

This is a war of artillery, so, I’m kind of skeptical what a flood of soldiers that Russia can’t even equip is going to do. This reeks of desperation, like Hitler ordering women and children to take up arms in Berlin. It’s an insane military decision that’s going to end ten of thousands of innocent lives for nothing.

[Salviati]

3. It's vladimir putins suicide note...

... written in the blood of conscripted russians.

[Emrys]

6. They'll be lucky if they have an AK-47!

Let alone ammo. Maybe a broom handle and five minutes' instruction on how to shout "BANG!"?

As you say, artillery has been one of the few strong points in Russia's armoury, and even that's getting limited as supplies of ammo are harder to replenish and emplacements get taken out by the Ukrainians.

Even the most basic artillery piece needs proper training to use at all, let alone packing it up and running, then re-erecting it, probably under incoming fire.

The other recent boon for the Russians has been the Iranian drones. Learning to use one of those isn't a short process either, unless they're going to focus on recruiting gamers and hobbyists.

[Walleye]

4. To quote our president "for god sakes this man cannot remain in power"

[Jarqui]

5. Bet no one tried bone spurs as an excuse ... nt

[Renew Deal]

7. This is a tragedy for average Russians.

Other than the ones that have been cheering along the invasion and have since 2014.

[durablend]

8. They should be on the next plane over there signing up

[tblue37]

9. They re in the right age group (18-65).

[roamer65]

10. There is apparently a hidden "article seven" in Putler's order.

It apparently mentions how many will be called up.

1 MILLION.