Russian soldiers in Ukraine are not 'kids'

Summary

SpaceX founder Elon Musk wrote on X on Oct. 25 that Russian conscripts are "kids" who "have no choice but to fight and die in drone strikes." ⠀ Musk's post badly misrepresents the reality of how Russia staffs its wartime military. ⠀ The misconception that Russian soldiers are forced to fight against their will in Ukraine is one that has consistently reached the most powerful men in the United States. ⠀ Most Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine chose to do so voluntarily, and did so not for values, but for cold, hard cash. ⠀ The Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell explains why Russians keep…

Description from The Kyiv Independent.