Drunk recruits, insubordinate soldiers and convicts are among hundreds of military and civilian offenders pressed into Russian penal units known as “Storm-Z” squads and sent to the frontlines in Ukraine this year. Few live to tell their tale.

  • @zephyreks@lemmy.mlM
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    09 months ago

    Criminals say they’re unhappy being criminals.

    At least Russia’s criminal population isn’t dominated by ethnic minorities.

    • Hyperreality
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      19 months ago

      At least Russia’s criminal population isn’t dominated by ethnic minorities.

      I wonder if that’s entirely true. I strongly suspect they’re overrepresented. Historically the Soviets deported a lot of non-Russian minorities to penal colonies. Same thing now, where a lot of Ukrainians are being deported to the far east.

      Russians are also quite frequently virulently racist. People from the Caucusus, central-Asia, etc. Anti-semitism too.

      Of course, now they’re disproportionately sending those minorities to die in Ukraine, so there’s that.