Murder rates among Russian soldiers surge amid ‘chronic mental health’ issues
www.independent.co.uk
Up to 113 active Russian servicemen were convicted in 2023 - a near 900 per cent increase on just 13 in 2022

Up to 113 active Russian servicemen were convicted in 2023 - a near 900 per cent increase on just 13 in 2022

The number of Russian soldiers committing murder after returning home from the frontline have soared over the past few years amid “chronic mental health” issues linked to serving on the battlefield.

Data from Moscow’s judicial department showed that 113 active servicemen were convicted in 2023 - representing a near 900 per cent increase on just 13 convictions in 2022.

The UK Ministry of Defence said the high number of homicides was likely due to “war-related chronic mental health issues” and the release of thousands of ex-convictspardoned for their participation in the war.

  • JohnDClay@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1541·
    7 months ago

    They’re also recruiting from prisons and promising freedom afterwards, right? That probably doesn’t help.

    • Deestan@lemmy.worldEnglish
      100·
      7 months ago

      Where’s the harm in taking violent criminals, giving them a year of practice doing war crimes, traumatize them up a bit, and then releasing them into civilized society?

      • ZapBeebz_@lemmy.worldEnglish
        42·
        7 months ago

        See, it’s all planned, because they then arrest the criminals and ship them right back to the front! So efficient!

        • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.worldEnglish
          41·
          7 months ago

          The horror of the Sardukar was in how a state leader could transform dissidents and derelicts (the product of the emperor’s own repugnant domestic policies) into a tool of command and control.

          The horror of the Freman was in how a state leader could transform the desire for liberty and sovereignty into an empire-spanning blood drenched jihad.

          Apply this to Russia/Ukraine (or Israel/Palestine or Ethiopia/Tigrey or North/South Sudan) and you see a host of disturbing parallels.

          The longer and deeper the trauma of these conflicts, the more local people abandon their humanity in pursuit of victory.

      • RozhkiNozhki@lemmy.worldEnglish
        51·
        7 months ago

        No, it’s common practice now, not just for those who has been imprisoned for years but for fresh convicts too - they are offered draft instead of imprisonment right after conviction.

      • skillissuerEnglish
        21·
        7 months ago

        after wagner was dismantled in all but name (prigozhin was taken out eight months ago, can you believe that? time flies) the same deal was offered by russian army in form of Storm-Z battalions (it’s a real name, i couldn’t make it up if i tried). another low-quality type of units are BARS which is kinda, sorta like territorial defense units but it seems to me that they’re mostly football ultras and other menace that society at large wouldn’t miss