The Russian military is seeing an influx of older contract soldiers who are largely seen as detrimental to its war effort in Ukraine, the investigative news outlet Vyorstka reported Wednesday, citing anonymous military and parliamentary sources.

Volunteer fighters aged 45 and over now make up half of new recruits in Moscow, a senior Mayor’s Office source was cited as saying. The average age of recruits has risen from 40 at the start of the year to about 50, said another Moscow Mayor’s Office source.

“They’re all sick,” a Russian soldier fighting in Ukraine was quoted as saying of these troops. “Their legs hurt, their heads hurt, and they’re slow.”

  • paddirn@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    edit-2
    1 month ago

    I’m 43 and with my lower back pain I can’t imagine going off to fight in a war like that. I’m exercising more now than I ever did, but I’m well past my prime and probably couldn’t do alot of the things that war would demand. I’d surrender at the first opportunity I could get to not get shot in the back.

    • SupraMario@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 month ago

      Lower slipped disk old person here as well …you gotta try yoga, shit has helped me a ton.

      Also fuck putin, slava Ukraini