All the stuff I've seen involving conscription in Ukraine has been really weirdly mellow. The most horrific thing I've seen is a guy screaming while being press-ganged, heartbreaking but expected.

It feels like they're not press-ganging people to the extent they could. It may just be lack of information because its an active war. But I wonder if it could be that simply trying to force people entirely against their will into a scenario where they're likely to die just isn't feasible. Which I guess explains the Azov guys and other ideologically-driven right-wingers being so prominent. After all I don't know if you can conscript someone into being some kind of "operator" "hardened" soldier type who is moving street by street.

I wonder if there's also a lot of "selective forcefulness". I wonder if press-gangs are staffed by right-wing/chauvinist types who might be more lenient on people they think of as higher-class or "more Ukrainian"? Are they more brutal towards poor people or people with other ethnic backgrounds (I guess this might be a given)? Does that mean that the videos and stories that come out of Ukraine are somewhat non-representative? I haven't see that much about the war so idk.

[–] Evilsandwichman@hexbear.net 21 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I wonder if there's also a lot of "selective forcefulness". I wonder if press-gangs are staffed by right-wing/chauvinist types who might be more lenient on people they think of as higher-class or "more Ukrainian"? Are they more brutal towards poor people or people with other ethnic backgrounds (I guess this might be a given)? Does that mean that the videos and stories that come out of Ukraine are somewhat non-representative? I haven't see that much about the war so idk.

I recall a video one of the draftees made who said that 'bad Ukrainians' are the ones who are drafted, and who are the bad Ukrainians? Native Russian speakers. I doubt they're the sole ones being press ganged, but I wouldn't be surprised if they're overrepresented.

[–] Collatz_problem@hexbear.net 7 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I wouldn't be surprised if they're overrepresented

IIRC, the highest conscription numbers per population are in Central Ukraine. I think it is due to higher draft dodging in Eastern/Southern Ukraine and trying to limit losses of Western Ukrainian population.

[–] coolusername@hexbear.net 18 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

I've seen at least 100 videos of the people being gangpressed fight back. Btw, they look at how much individuals pay in taxes to decide who dies. And you can straight up bribe your way out.