In recent days, videos of Russian conscripts surrendering to Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk region have been circulating widely on Western social media platforms. Kyiv claims to have already captured hundreds of the conscripts defending the border as its army has advanced deep into Russian territory. For the first time in the war against Ukraine – and for the first time since the Chechen conflict two decades ago – large numbers of Russian conscripts are being tested in battle.
The early evidence suggests that these underequipped and undertrained young men are unwilling to put up a fight in the face of a more experienced opposition. Yet their sudden exposure to front-line warfare may be creating a much bigger problem for Vladimir Putin’s Russia than minor tactical defeats: a large group of vengeful, violent citizens who feel betrayed by today’s leadership.
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