August 19, 2024

Russian Teenagers Head to the Front Lines


Russian Teenagers Head to the Front Lines
Readiness check of the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division. Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation, Wikimedia Commons.

An increasing number of Russian teenagers are joining the fight in Russia's War on Ukraine as soon as they turn 18. They are often sent to the front after just two weeks of training.

Last spring, Russian President Vladimir Putin allowed 18-year-olds with no prior military experience or education to sign enlistment contracts. As of late June 2024, at least 40 Russians born in 2005 and 2006 have died in the war in Ukraine, according to the BBC Russian Service. In recent months, casualties among young contract soldiers have risen sharply. Between June 15 and Aug. 15, 2024, at least 13 Russians aged 18 have died, according to the news outlet Kholod (Cold). These young soldiers were just 15 or 16 years old when the war in Ukraine began. Kholod journalists spoke with relatives of fallen young soldiers to understand why they chose to go to war.

Some teenagers are driven by financial need. For example, Yaroslav Lipavsky from Tyumen, who died a month after his eighteenth birthday, wanted to earn money to support his pregnant girlfriend and to help his mother pay off her loans. Another teenager from Tyumen Oblast, Dmitry Sergeyev, signed a contract to save money for his wedding.

Others are influenced by their fathers' example or by government propaganda. Georgy Nadein from Perm was just eight years old when his stepfather first went to fight in Donbas in 2014, as part of the PMC Wagner. In February 2024, having just turned 18, Nadein signed a contract with a friend, saying he was “no worse than others.” On June 12, 2024, during another assault by the Russian army near Avdiivka, Nadein was sent on a combat mission for the first time. He died just four days later.

Another young soldier, 18-year-old Aleksei Shkoda from Novosibirsk Oblast, died during his second combat mission. Before going to the front, Shkoda was in a correctional colony. As soon as he was transferred to an adult correctional facility, he signed a military contract, even though he had only eight months left before his release. It is believed that Shkoda may have been influenced by propaganda.

“They are told in school classes and at formation that soldiers are fighting for the Motherland, and here you are, like this,” said the mother of another teenager held in a correctional colony.

You Might Also Like

A New Russian Culture?
  • July 31, 2024

A New Russian Culture?

The Russian presidential administration is trying to align culture with the war effort.
Lord of War's Fandom
  • July 25, 2024

Lord of War's Fandom

Russian teenagers continue to idolize PMC Wagner’s Yevgeny Prigozhin, even after his death.
Have Children, or Else
  • July 11, 2024

Have Children, or Else

Russian authorities are preparing bills to ban the "extremist ideology" about being child-free. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955