Deception and coercion: How Putin sends young military personnel to die in Ukraine

MoscowOn June 10, a nightmare began for the family of Russian conscript Mikhail Vévier. There were just over two weeks left until the boy was due to complete his mandatory military service when his parents received a call explaining that he had signed a contract to fight in Ukraine. His mother, Anastasia, was interviewed by the independent media outletViorstka, recalls that at that moment her world fell apart: "We were already preparing the reception with balloons and cakes, but when I heard about the contract, I didn't want to live, I didn't know where to run."

In a video shared online, the woman claims that her son did it under coercion from his superiors. "Supposedly, they found messages in which he asked for pills from one of them."contracts[a contract soldier], but he didn't pay him any money or receive anything in return," he explains. Three officers then threatened him that if he didn't agree to join the army, he would be imprisoned and become cannon fodder in a prisoner battalion. In return, if he signed, they guaranteed that he would stay.

His case is not exceptional. The law prevents young men who do military service from being sent to Ukraine. ARA how this scheme of abuse and deception works, leading the young men to almost certain death. Young people are being persuaded to join the armed forces with the promise of a good salary and fixed hours. "They convince them they'll be assigned to the military unit where they're already serving or to the rear," the lawyer points out. If they don't comply, they launch the extortion schemes. "They force them to undergo physical exercises until they're exhausted," Vaskin asserts, mistreating them almost to the point of torture, with the goal of making them unable to bear the situation and, in desperation, opting to sign the contract. Or, as in Mikhail's case, "they set them up, a provocation, something illegal related to drugs" that forces them to choose between enlisting or ending up on the front lines after serving time in prison.

The lawyer admits that, although the law "does not allow anyone to pressure and force a person to sign a contract," encouraging them to do so is not prohibited. What is illegal is to spur them on with lies. The first falsehood, according to Vaskin, is the officers' claim that the contracts are short-term. The reality is that the presidential decree on mobilization stipulates that the contract "can be extended" until the Kremlin deems it appropriate. The second lie is that, despite assuring them that they will be sent to a safe place, "the command can transfer them anywhere without any problem."

There is still a third method of deceiving young people: forging their signature. "The recruit receives a sheet of papers, signs it without reading them, believing it to be bureaucratic, and then it turns out that among the documents was a contract," warns Vaskin. Sometimes, victims realize they are being scammed when they unexpectedly receive their first salary as volunteers. Lawyers advise them to return any payments immediately, but even if they challenge it and are eventually found right, it may be too late for the young people.

Avoid recruitment however you like

The recommendation from human rights organizations is to avoid being drafted into compulsory military service altogether. The latest call, in April, affected 160,000 Russians between the ages of 18 and 30, the largest since 2011. They recommend that all of them request deferrals, health-related exemptions, and delay the process as long as possible because, while the investigations are being resolved, they cannot be mobilized.

The two most radical options are, on the one hand, opt for evasionThe consequence is the opening of a criminal case, a fine that can be paid in installments, and, ultimately, the option of buying time. On the other hand, there is the option of fleeing abroad, but the organizations recognize that this is a path that requires great courage and can entail many risks. According to the newspaperMediazona, more than 20,000 Russian soldiers are being hunted for deserting from the Ukrainian front.

Some mothers, like Anna, lament that their children are fooled by the false promises of their commanders, as happened to her son Sergei. "Why am I writing to mothers? Because they are deceiving the children!" she exclaims toViorstka, adding: "Don't let them sign contracts! Don't let them join the army! The commanders don't care, it's not their sons who are going." Sergei was killed in February by a drone. Meanwhile, Anastasia hopes that the echo of her son Mikhail's case will help him return home safely.