Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
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Notes -
Is the Russian army still using prison recruitment at a serious rate anymore?
I will not bother with seriously replying to the second paragraph because it’s hysterical. For all its faults, there is a more or less free flow of people and information in and out of Russia so I will trust the conclusions I can draw up for myself from the available data unless you can provide anything better. The only thing hampering me from accessing information about Russia is EU’s ban on Russian news outlets.
No it really isn’t. My question was regarding educated Russians who are working IT jobs in Kazakhstan or whatever. Yes I am aware that Russia recruits (not conscripts, recruits) heavily among certain groups who are poorer and have martial traditions. Every single modern army does this. Istanbul boys don’t fight Turkey’s wars and New Yorkers don’t fight Americas wars.
There are a lot of Texans in the Army, and Texas is one of the wealthier states with abundant economic opportunities even in rural areas. Now natives and appalachians and blacks from the deep south are so overrepresented partly because of unemployment in their home territories, it's true, but military service runs in families for a big chunk of the force rather than being driven by economic factors.
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