‘Society isn’t prepared’ The Kremlin fears ‘public discontent’ and a rise in crime as returning soldiers fail to adapt to civilian life — Meduza
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The Kremlin’s policy of sending hundreds of thousands of Russian men, including many prisoners, to war with little to no training or equipment has had predictable effects back on the home front: numerous soldiers have committed violent crimes upon returning home, and the country reportedly has a critical shortage of psychologists trained to treat PTSD. The Russian authorities have been reluctant to criticize these veterans, with Putin calling for them to become the country’s “new elite.” But according to Meduza’s inside sources, the president’s team is well aware of the risks the returnees pose and fears Russian society isn’t prepared to accept them. Meduza special correspondent Andrey Pertsev explains.

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The Kremlin’s policy of sending hundreds of thousands of Russian men, including many prisoners, to war in Ukraine with little to no training or equipment has had predictable effects back on the home front: numerous soldiers have committed violent crimes upon returning home, and the country reportedly has a critical shortage of psychologists trained to treat PTSD.

The Russian authorities have been reluctant to criticize these veterans, with Putin calling for them to become the country’s “new elite.” But according to inside sources, the Putin’s team is well aware of the risks the returnees pose and fears Russian society isn’t prepared to accept them.

  • rottingleaf@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    3 months ago

    These traumatized murderers and rapists might climb the ranks of Russian society and ensure that tomorrow’s Russia is as fucked as that of today.

    This may actually be the other way around. Chechen wars’ veterans (mainly those who were abusing the civilians, FSB etc) were his pool of loyal people.

    And probably this war was intended to give him another such pool.

    The issue is - it went differently and most of the expertise and experts gained there are about actually fighting a war.

    So the change may actually be for the better once the dust settles, only I don’t even want to think what will be between end of war and then.