Russia braces for new conscription wave as young soldiers suffer
Many young Russian soldiers, mainly conscripts, are fighting on the Ukrainian front. They were promised that they would not have to participate in direct clashes, but reality proved different. Now, Russian Professor Igor Lipsits believes that Vladimir Putin is preparing another wave of conscription for the draftees.
Russian professor and Doctor of Economics Igor Lipsits believes that, despite the objections of economists, a new wave of mobilisation and increased draft for the military should be expected in Russia this year.
Benefits and deferments will be removed from everyone possible. It's all done in Russia in no time. I think they will first try to maximize the number of conscripts. I think they will first try to maximize the number of conscripts because a conscript has to fight in the Kursk region for free - he said.
Moreover, according to Lipsits, there will be a large mobilisation. This is confirmed by the recent law passed by the State Duma, which increases criminal liability for helping Russian citizens illegally cross borders.
According to the professor, all this will not have the best impact on the country's economy and the life of every Russian. If there is a large mobilisation, many people will want to flee Russia, he says, speculating that people related to the economy might shout "no mobilisation" because it will worsen the situation even more.
Problems of conscripts on the front
Dozens of Russian conscripts came under fire at the border of the Kursk region. According to the independent portal Verstka, these soldiers had neither weapons nor instructions from their commanders. As a result, many of them were captured by the Ukrainians, as numerous recordings published by Ukrainian media illustrate.
At the beginning of 2024, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the spring draft for military service, which included 150,000 people aged 18 to 30. Russian conscripts spoke of their experiences, emphasising that they were sent to the front without any preparation.
One of them stated: - We were meant to die like dogs. These words reflect the desperation of young soldiers who do not know if they will return home.
