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Dedovshchina: How Russia Creates Soldiers who think nothing of Committing War Crimes. [1]
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Date: 2023-01-03
Russians Conscripts November 2022
Conscripts in the Russian army are subject to an extreme form of hazing known as Dedovshchina which translates into “rule of grandfathers”. It features brutal beatings, humiliation of every kind imaginable, rape and forced prostitution. Young men are desperate to avoid serving in the army and everyone who can buys their way out. Many will resort to predatory micro loans featuring interest rate of up to 1%/day to raise the necessary funds. It’s like borrowing money from the Mafia. If you do not pay on time, you and your family will be threatened with physical harm. The only ones who end up serving are typically from very poor and/or minority communities.
x Dedovshchina is an extreme form of Russian military conscript hazing that promotes severe torture & a culture of creating the next wave of barbaric torturers.
Brutality & cruelty has been engrained into Russian war culture for hundreds of years
https://t.co/dy4M1EiOSR — VelvetBIade 🧃 (@VelvetBlade) November 10, 2022
Dedovshchina results in a dangerous “Lord of the Flies” scenario as described in “Full Metal Torture”. Reading the full article above is truly an eye opener.
The word “hazing” doesn’t come close to capturing the terror of dedovshchina, or the “rule of grandfathers,” in the Russian army. Dedovshchina isn’t some prank where the victims are forced to shotgun cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon until they puke. Dedovshchina is what happens when the officer corps loses authority and 19-year-old conscripts start making the rules for the 17- and 18-year-olds. ...The abuse starts from day one, when older soldiers seize the recruits’ newly issued clothes and replace them with used, ill-fitting rags. This isn’t just an intimidating gesture; it helps identify the new recruits, who are called dukhi, or “ghosts.” Recruits are drafted to serve two years, which, according to the rules of dedovshchina, are broken up into four six-month segments. Second-year soldiers, who are usually 19 or 20, are referred to as “old-timers,” and soldiers with less than half a year left are called dedy, or “grandfathers.” The dedy have more authority than even officers, and they are eager to get their turn after the abuse they suffered. Besides, the system of dedovshchina has a built-in mechanism to make sure that it perpetuates itself: If old-timers aren’t harsh enough on new conscripts, they themselves will be “demoted” back to the level of dukh.
x I came across a report last week from a journalist on the Russian military and a practice called “Dedovshchina” a deeply ingrained problem in the ranks dating back to Peter the Great of abuse, rape and torture of conscripts. Maybe that practice has ingrained that abuse in them pic.twitter.com/FKon3CLWyF — Jane Hall (@janehalldesign) April 4, 2022
Here is an attempt to actually defend the use of rape as a justified punishment.
x TW: sexual violence
russian soldier is trying to justify rape and sexual violence as a legitimate and very normal way of punishment in the ru army.
according to him, it’s still not as horrible as a consensual gay sex and “rainbow flags”.
it tells you a lot about that society. pic.twitter.com/2MiAfMx6Xw — Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) October 26, 2022
Many conscripts are forced into prostitution to raise money for their corrupt officers.
x Typical story. Conscript Ilya was forced into prostitution on his second month of service. He got a letter from his gf and didn't give it to sergeant to read. Angry sergeant told Ilya won't need girls anymore. That evening he was gang raped. Later, they would sell him to clients pic.twitter.com/1gZQLkqPdN — Kamil Galeev (@kamilkazani) March 21, 2022
Not surprisingly, only the poorest and least educated end up serving. Everyone who can pays to avoid serving creating a truly corrupt military.
x The poorest and the least educated have always been the ones who can’t avoid service. Add decades of dedovshchina and corruption, and you have a hollowed-out institution that’s as much good in the field as… well, as we’ve seen over the last 7 months. — Luke Shrago (@LukeShrago) September 27, 2022
There is also a systemic failure of the army to perform anywhere near expectations because there is no trust or camaraderie. Morale takes a devastating hit under this system. (Note Pokazukha means “empty spectacle” in the tweet below).
x So few things have changed since my own forced conscription to the Soviet Army in 1980ies. Pokazukha, corruption, dedovshchina, low morale - all still there.
@elisabethbraw
Russia’s army is in a woeful state
https://t.co/2HBwG5rWAZ https://t.co/thZFoERXzS — Matti Maasikas (@MattiMaasikas) April 30, 2022
The end result is an army that is purposefully designed to commit war crimes.
x The brutality & cruelty of Russia in Ukraine is no different than Russians have perpetrated throughout history.
Social media no longer allows Russia to deny it or other countries to ignore these war crimes.
https://t.co/NmdOTzztNs — VelvetBIade 🧃 (@VelvetBlade) November 10, 2022
The Russian military is not respected in Russia itself.
x Russia has never respected its soldiers. There is no respect for people in Russia, not even for their own citizens. — Malarz Kominów 🇵🇱 ✌️ (@MalarzKominow) March 10, 2022
Russia’s allies are also losing respect for and fear of the Russian military.
x No respect and no fear, for either the Russian soldier or his military.
Putin has, by his incompetence, arrogance and barbarity, shot himself in the foot.
https://t.co/jALfJAOo6w — Don Jefferis (@donjefferis214) December 14, 2022
This system of Dedovshchina must be ended. The world will never be truly safe so long as it continues to exist. Sanctions should not be lifted until a professional military has been established in Russia and the micro loan industry abolished and made illegal.
[END]
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/3/2138904/-Dedovshchina-How-Russia-Creates-Soldiers-who-think-nothing-of-Committing-War-Crimes
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