Military reservists?

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Rose2020
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Military reservists?

Post #1

Post by Rose2020 »

Why are military reservists in Russia so resistant and even frightened of being called up?

I do not understand very much of the politics going on. Are these men already trained soldiers who know and always knew they can be called up
any time? I presume they just do not agree with the reasons their country is fighting Ukraine. I thought soldiers in any country must follow orders once they join the army. It would be a different matter if they were civilians forced to train and fight. I assume we in the UK also have reservists.

Please excuse my ignorance on warfare. All I see is on the main BBC news. I do not know enough of the history of this war to make a proper opinion, I am just asking about the reservists.

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Difflugia
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Re: Military reservists?

Post #11

Post by Difflugia »

Rose2020 wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 3:30 amOf course I understand. I just thought if anyone joins the army of their own country, they must fight when called upon.

Presumably they don't get to choose when or where or how.
That's true, but it's also a career path chosen disproportionately by the underprivileged. Many US soldiers aren't soldiers because they want to be, but because the gamble is perceived as preferable to other alternatives. The machine-gunner that I mentioned joined with deferred entry to have his college paid for because he otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford it. When one's lifestyle is dictated by what they can sell, some people are unlucky enough to have been thrust into a buyer's market by accidents of birth (or by "acts of God," as it were). My parents were wealthy enough to help me through college, so I didn't have to expose myself to the horrors of war in exchange for my education.

Also, most reservists have already served on active duty and have now been discharged. Perhaps they didn't know when they were eighteen what conflict was like, but now they do.
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The Barbarian
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Re: Military reservists?

Post #12

Post by The Barbarian »

We had trouble getting enough people when we were fighting in Vietnam. For the same reason. Notice they didn't even need a draft for desert storm. That was a cause Americans were willing to fight for. If Russia were invaded, there would be no problem getting recruits; young Russians just don't want to die to save face for Putin.

The incompetence of Russian commanders is probably another major factor.

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