According to British expert Mark Galeotti, by the beginning of 2025 more than 1.5 million Russians participated in the conflict in Ukraine, well above the number of russian veterans of the nine-year war in Afghanistan. Galeotti warns that with so many participants in Russia's conflict there may be a period of severe social tensions. The expert besides stresses that demobilization of Russian soldiers can become delayed ignition bomb, generating further problems in the country.
According to data from the national Prison Service of Russia and Ukrainian military intelligence, at least 120 to 180 1000 Russian prisoners serving sentences in penal colonies were sent to the front.
He killed again.
The Reuters Agency describes the case of 35-year-old Azamat Iskaliyev from the Sarat district, which in 2021 was sentenced to 9 years in prison for killing his wife, trying to leave him. After serving 3 years, in connection with Russia's aggression into Ukraine, he was sent to the front in exchange for pardon.
Iskaliyev spent six months on the front. After returning to the country, at the end of last year, he again killed another partner. In July of that year, he was sentenced to 19 years in prison. Reuters stresses that his history, based on court records and court reports, is simply a shocking example of the social problems that may arise in Russia erstwhile hundreds of thousands of soldiers, including erstwhile criminals, return to the country after the end of the war.
Putin is besides afraid of specified mass returns due to the fact that he believes that they can become a origin of conflict and destabilise the political order he built – described by Reuters.
Financial problems
Analysts indicate that many soldiers returning from war may face serious intellectual problems, frustration and disappointment in civilian life. The returnees include erstwhile criminals and those disappointed by lower earnings than in the military, which may lead to social tensions.
By comparison, the yearly wage of a recruit from Moscow is about $65,000, and the bonus for enlisting in the army is $24,000 equivalent, almost as much as the average yearly wage in the Russian capital.
Hope in Social Programmes
In the face of expanding threats, the Russian authorities are already taking steps to manage returning veterans. According to sources close to the Kremlin, president Putin recommended the preparation of social programs to make it easier for erstwhile soldiers to adapt to civilian life. The plans include their engagement in local governments and social organisations.
