What It's Actually Like To Be a Russian Army Recruit

Russia has forced its way into Ukraine and after months of fighting the Russian army needs to bolster its numbers by bringing in conscripts to step up to the front lines. But life as a Russian conscript is brutal as you will see in today's dark new video that reveals a shocking side to the Russian conflict.

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All videos are based on publicly available information unless otherwise noted.

[Nurg]

With brothers-in-arms like these, you don’t need enemies

[bobby.m]

With a fraction of the flaws in the Russian military I've learned of in the past months it's incredible how mighty they where thought to be prior.

[domashnienovosti]

My dad served in the Russian military all his life. When I was about 5 years old he brought me to work. He ordered the conscripts to line up and started the usual drill. I remember one soldier started swallowing his tears from humiliation. I was traumatised so my dad asked me to go play outside. Then we went to the canteen and I ate a watery soup, buckwheat kasha with boiled sausage and drank dry fruit compote. When the time came, my dad did his best to get both me and my brother exempt from the conscript service for he knew first hand about all those tortures covered in this video. My dad supports Putin’s war, and I don’t. I denounced him and felt truly liberated for the first time in my life.

[thebigmon]

For those of you who thinks this is all BS, read the book "One Soldier's War", by Arkady Babchenko. His book is about his time in the Russian army during the Chechen war and was a best seller in Russia. He talks about worse things in the Russian army that's not covered in this video.

[oliversherman]

Let's all just be grateful that we're not soldiers in the Russian, Chinese or North Korean armies

[randallminchew]

Hazing doesn’t make you tougher. It just kills the soldiers morale and possibly kills the soldier.

[leofwulf]

"conscripts are used for maintenance and logistics roles"
well that explains a lot

[romanjimenezgil]

I trained as a soldier in Spain. I think that if i had suffered such atrocious conditions as the ones explained here, i would have left the army after 1 week. With that training, if true, It is imposible to win a war.

[Orca]

Given the decrepit state of the Russian military, it would seem the only significant threat they pose to NATO and other nations would be their nuclear capability, and even that might not live up to expectations just like with their conventional forces.

[CloroxBleachCompany]

Historically and contemporaneously, Russian troops have been seen as nothing more than “bodies” worth disposing of in support of a self-serving autocrat. The U.S. military has its faults, but you would never see them being so nonchalant over the level of casualties Russians are ok producing in a day of conflict.

[xFlared]

My father was hazed in the Russian army so much that he almost lost his leg. His father in law who was a police officer at the time and had military connections was able to save him by transferring him to a nuclear silo facility. Otherwise he would've probably been killed.

[youtubeuser]

What an uncivilized organisation, it's disgusting that the brutal people that perpetrate torture and physical abuse on their fellow soldiers are now in Ukraine at contact with civilians. I hope this helps explain Bucha or Izyum and what all the rest it will be found when liberation comes.
It's fundamental to defend Ukraine from this criminals

[dansmith]

I can't imagine too many Russians wanting to fight for their country. I could imagine them at their first chance, fighting for their opposition.

[Robbo]

So in the British army (only one I've got personal experience with). While there is some hazing. Mainly the mentality they are taught is that trainees need only focus on doing what they are told by their NCOs. The NCOs are the ones who will keep them alive. This breeds a sense of trust as such in combat they know that the guy next to them is going to do whatever he can to bring him home and so does the same. Russian training... I'm shocked they have managed to achieve anything at all...

[thundrstruck]

How can anyone pass up such an irresistible offer of $14 a month in return for horribly disfiguring injuries, PTSD, and/or death????

[photostudio]

I've been to Russia a few times and one thing that always looked weird was seeing Russian soldiers in uniform selling equipment and supplies on the street. I even saw this during the soviet era when things were supposed to be more disciplined.

[vorda]

With this kind of torture, it is still best to immediately surrender to the Ukrainian army
At least he will protect them there from the maniacs in his army
I hope that such sadists will find their end in this aggression

[fridabbasov]

I was also a conscript, one thing for sure there was massive mistreatment and bullying

[Dynaman]

About a year to two years back, Russian army advertising became memetic for its portrayal of a masculine, rugged image for its military, often used by conservatives in the US to lambast what they viewed as a “soft, woke” military. The reality of the situation is quite different.

[ProfessorxVile]

I imagine Russia gets around the whole "no conscripts outside Russia's borders" rule WRT Ukraine by simply not acknowledging Ukraine as its own state. If Ukraine is seen as part of Russia then sending conscripts there isn't war, it's training (which is exactly what they said they were doing in the leadup to the invasion). Too bad for them somebody forgot to tell the Ukrainians that.