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Russia looks to students to make up for mounting losses in Ukraine
Yahoo • • world
Key Points:
- Russia has launched a large-scale recruitment campaign targeting university and college students, especially those struggling academically, to join its drone forces as part of sustaining its war effort in Ukraine into a fifth year.
- Despite being presented as a safer, high-tech role with short-term contracts and financial incentives, many recruited students, including 23-year-old Valery Averin, have been sent to frontline combat and killed shortly after deployment.
- At least 920 Russian drone operators have been confirmed killed since the invasion began in February 2022, highlighting the high risks associated with this role despite official claims of safety.
- Recruitment efforts involve pressure tactics, including targeting students on the verge of expulsion and imposing quotas on educational institutions, reflecting how the conflict increasingly involves civilian sectors.
- The real death toll for Russian forces is estimated to be between 417,000 and 509,500, with Ukraine also suffering heavy losses, underscoring the severe human cost of the ongoing war.
