November 02, 2022

To the Frontline or to Prison


To the Frontline or to Prison

“Now they have been abandoned without command. They are in some village in the Luhansk region. They need to get out of there because now they are attacked again by an army of enemies. How will they return to Russia? What will happen to them next? We can’t even imagine.”

– Irina, wife of a Russian soldier mobilized in Ukraine

After being mobilized to Ukraine, soldiers are now being threatened with jail time for refusing to return to the front

On October 28, a group of wives and mothers of soldiers made an official plea to not have their men sent back to the frontlines. The troops had been sent to the front in mid-October, but, according to stories they told their families, they were not given provisions, the ability to communicate with headquarters, and lacked proper training.

The day before the women made their plea, the soldiers had retreated from the frontline after heavy losses. They were reportedly ill-equipped to handle the Ukrainian army's tank and drone attacks, having only been given machine guns, and did not have any air defense.

You Might Also Like

Death Awaits Them
  • October 12, 2022

Death Awaits Them

"Honestly, they will all die there." – Kirill, a Russian soldier who has fought in Ukraine offers a grim prognosis of what awaits the new mobilized recruits.
All Loud on the Eastern Front
  • October 09, 2022

All Loud on the Eastern Front

Ukraine continues to press forward in its major counteroffensive against Russia, recapturing villages and towns along the way. 
A Soldier Nation
  • September 28, 2022

A Soldier Nation

"We are a soldier country, a soldier nation. We will fight, it's not our first time, and so on... I feel that a rather gloomy period is ahead." – Alexei Levinson, Levada
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, 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