4 ms·

Donetsk separatists’ desperate draft campaign empties streets of men

43 points by nigerian1981 4y ago

oddly 4y ago
For some reason, this chills me to the bone. Being forced to fight your own countrymen. Has this been done more in history?
- medo-bear 4y ago
  the wars in former yugoslavia
- ComradePhil 4y ago
  The US civil war?
- rightbyte 4y ago
  "Vichy" France vs "Free" France. Korean War. Vietnam war. A lot of civil wars. The list is quite long.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- yucky 4y ago
  Every civil war ever?
malermeister 4y ago
If you're arming people that don't support your war, aren't you just provoking mutinies?
- pinewurst 4y ago
  Your troops are standing behind them with loaded guns at all times as they're being force marched into action. It chills me to the bone too.
  - GekkePrutser 4y ago
    That can't be effective in any kind of way. These forced 'soldiers' will just miss their targets and the moment they have a chance they will turn around and kill everyone that forced them. And rightly so of course. I just don't see how this will work except for cannon fodder.
    - neuronexmachina 4y ago
      According to this article from earlier this month, they basically are just cannon fodder: https://www.reuters.com/world/conscripts-sent-fight-by-pro-russia-donbas-get-little-training-old-rifles-poor-2022-04-04/ https://www.reuters.com/world/conscripts-sent-fight-by-pro-r... > Several Donbas draftees have been issued with a rifle called a Mosin, which was developed in the late 19th century and went out of production decades ago, according to three people who saw conscripts from the separatist region using the weapon. Images shared on social media, that Reuters has not been able to verify independently, also showed Donbas fighters with Mosin rifle > ... Some Donbas conscripts were given the highly dangerous mission of drawing enemy fire onto themselves so other units could identify the Ukrainian positions and bomb them, according to one of the sources and video testimony from a prisoner of war published by Ukrainian forces.
      - rightbyte 4y ago
        I am not disagreeing about that the conscript are being recklessly sacrificed. But the Mosin Nagant seems to be for rear guard use for which it is perfectly fine. I have not seen it in front line action in any video or picture, except in the sniper configuration.
- guilhas 4y ago
  Maybe most support, they are being bombed by the Ukraine gov since 2014
tren-hard 4y ago
Grim point in time for these men. > Bribes work but the cost of draft-dodging is $800, an exorbitant amount for most people in an already poor area with an economy now crippled by the war. > Men pushing the top end of the draft age group have grown beards in an attempt to look older, although the raising of the upper limit to 65 means grey hair alone offers little protection.

43 points by nigerian1981 4y ago

For some reason, this chills me to the bone. Being forced to fight your own countrymen. Has this been done more in history?

medo-bear 4y ago
the wars in former yugoslavia
ComradePhil 4y ago
The US civil war?
rightbyte 4y ago
"Vichy" France vs "Free" France. Korean War. Vietnam war. A lot of civil wars. The list is quite long.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
yucky 4y ago
Every civil war ever?

malermeister 4y ago

If you're arming people that don't support your war, aren't you just provoking mutinies?

pinewurst 4y ago
Your troops are standing behind them with loaded guns at all times as they're being force marched into action. It chills me to the bone too.
- GekkePrutser 4y ago
  That can't be effective in any kind of way. These forced 'soldiers' will just miss their targets and the moment they have a chance they will turn around and kill everyone that forced them. And rightly so of course. I just don't see how this will work except for cannon fodder.
  - neuronexmachina 4y ago
    According to this article from earlier this month, they basically are just cannon fodder: https://www.reuters.com/world/conscripts-sent-fight-by-pro-russia-donbas-get-little-training-old-rifles-poor-2022-04-04/ https://www.reuters.com/world/conscripts-sent-fight-by-pro-r... > Several Donbas draftees have been issued with a rifle called a Mosin, which was developed in the late 19th century and went out of production decades ago, according to three people who saw conscripts from the separatist region using the weapon. Images shared on social media, that Reuters has not been able to verify independently, also showed Donbas fighters with Mosin rifle > ... Some Donbas conscripts were given the highly dangerous mission of drawing enemy fire onto themselves so other units could identify the Ukrainian positions and bomb them, according to one of the sources and video testimony from a prisoner of war published by Ukrainian forces.
    - rightbyte 4y ago
      I am not disagreeing about that the conscript are being recklessly sacrificed. But the Mosin Nagant seems to be for rear guard use for which it is perfectly fine. I have not seen it in front line action in any video or picture, except in the sniper configuration.
guilhas 4y ago
Maybe most support, they are being bombed by the Ukraine gov since 2014

tren-hard 4y ago

Grim point in time for these men. > Bribes work but the cost of draft-dodging is $800, an exorbitant amount for most people in an already poor area with an economy now crippled by the war. > Men pushing the top end of the draft age group have grown beards in an attempt to look older, although the raising of the upper limit to 65 means grey hair alone offers little protection.