Now, a soldier & POW feels low and questions his value

Recent reports indicate that a Russian prisoner speaking with his grandmother “informed his family that Putin’s military had refused offers for an exchange.” This information confirms reports that Russian soldiers are being used as “cannon fodder.” [i]

Cannon fodder is “[a] soldier regarded or treated as expendable in battle.” [ii]

A Russian soldier allegedly captured by the Ukrainian Armed Forces recently described in a phone call to his grandmother that he “felt like he has no value.” However, he fought actively in Putin’s ‘special operation’ in Ukraine. [iii]

The soldier states that

They tried to trade me alive for the corpses of Ukrainian troopers. However the mnagement of the Russian military refused and mentioned that I had no worth for them.”

The soldier continued with his feelings toward the conflict, stating that

It’s going to be a tricky combat on the defensive…If the Ukrainians can take that part of the Kherson area, the actual city area west of the Dnipro, it would be a major win…the first offensive win of Ukraine of this war, but could be the tipping point of the change of tide and the start of the push to push Russians back.”

This is unveiled as reports indicate through the viral photo below of teenagers captioned “Mobilisation in Russian Federation.”

It is alleged that Putin is using teenagers who “could be teenagers from any country in Europe, looking forward to starting university or getting a job,” forcing them “to become cannon fodder serving one man’s pointless obsession. What a waste.” [iv]

Advertisements appeared across Russia “looking for new recruits” in July. One advertisement read: Wanted: men between 20 and 55 years old to serve as volunteer contract starting salary 200,000 rubles ($3,400) a month. Contact the Odintsovo military recruitment center.” [v]

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This is in addition to a “funeral plan” being included in benefits for new volunteer recruits. [vi]

References

[i] World Spies, Russian prisoner of war abandoned as Putin’s force ‘said he had no value’ after swap offer | World | News, (Sep. 3, 2022)

[ii] Merriam-Webster, cannon fodder – noun, (2022)

[iii] Muhammad Rahman, Russian prisoner of war abandoned as Putin’s force ‘said he had no value’ after swap offer, (Sep. 3, 2022)

[iv] Muhammad Rahman, Frantic Putin turns to teen conscripts as ‘cannon fodder’ in heart-breaking photo, (Sep. 2, 2022)

[v] Id.

[vi] Id.