This is the regular Spring conscription of newly eligible 18 year olds men. This happens twice per year and a year of service is mandatory in Russia. Typically, conscripts are not deployed to the zone of the SVO.
Agreed. And don’t forget the negotiations angle. If Russia presents themselves as forever too strong to stop it helps them haggle over things like how much land they keep.
Typically, conscripts are not deployed to the zone of the SVO.
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That was true until the end of 2022, but in 2023 some were sent, then in 2024 all were sent. They are shown what a AK73 looks like on swearing in, then the rifle is taken away; they are bundled, in most cases, directly to the front, where within a week or two of being conscripted most are lying wounded or dead in some trench.