Anyone have experience in the Russian military?

[shiro2142]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone whos been in the Russian military as a foreigner can share their insights on their experience. There is much material to peruse on those who have served in the French Foreign Legion but I haven't been able to find any first hand accounts of anyone, much less any westerner, who has served in the Russian Army. My interest was piqued as according to this article one can go through a simplified application for Russian citizenship after 6 months on deployment and a year in the service.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/ ... ons-a78941

I guess Putin is getting desperate for any recruits.

Yes, I am considering joining. My friend has expressed interest as well. As for myself, I have experience as an officer, an O-1 second lieutenant MOS 56X, in a state defense force and as a member in the Civil Air Patrol and Coast Guard Auxiliary but I am under no delusions that this would be an easy undertaking. I have begun personal training at a gym with a 90 percent discount and will begin my beginning Russian class next quarter at a community college and I have started studying the Cyrillic script today . I already speak Spanish, Korean and English so I hope learning a 4th language won't be too difficult. I am however, obese, and 37 years old but have the maturity of a teenager. I am only 5'5" inches tall. I am also disabled with Schizophrenia and sleep apnea.

My friend is 6ft, only in his mid twenties, an Orthodox Christian, and has a MS degree in a STEM field and is a weightlifter so I feel he has a much better chance of pulling this off than me but I reserve hope. The only thing is he has no military experience.

We are both pampered Americans who would no doubt be shocked at the conditions in the Russian Army as rank and file enlisted men.

Please don't criticize me too harshly. If someone could also assess the probability of our suc cess it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[Pixel--Dude]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone whos been in the Russian military as a foreigner can share their insights on their experience. There is much material to peruse on those who have served in the French Foreign Legion but I haven't been able to find any first hand accounts of anyone, much less any westerner, who has served in the Russian Army. My interest was piqued as according to this article one can go through a simplified application for Russian citizenship after 6 months on deployment and a year in the service.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/ ... ons-a78941

I guess Putin is getting desperate for any recruits.

Yes, I am considering joining. My friend has expressed interest as well. As for myself, I have experience as an officer, an O-1 second lieutenant MOS 56X, in a state defense force and as a member in the Civil Air Patrol and Coast Guard Auxiliary but I am under no delusions that this would be an easy undertaking. I have begun personal training at a gym with a 90 percent discount and will begin my beginning Russian class next quarter at a community college and I have started studying the Cyrillic script today . I already speak Spanish, Korean and English so I hope learning a 4th language won't be too difficult. I am however, obese, and 37 years old but have the maturity of a teenager. I am only 5'5" inches tall. I am also disabled with Schizophrenia and sleep apnea.

My friend is 6ft, only in his mid twenties, an Orthodox Christian, and has a MS degree in a STEM field and is a weightlifter so I feel he has a much better chance of pulling this off than me but I reserve hope. The only thing is he has no military experience.

We are both pampered Americans who would no doubt be shocked at the conditions in the Russian Army.

Please don't criticize me too harshly. If someone could also assess the probability of our suc cess it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hey, where abouts are you from?

I have no experience in the Russian military. I have no experience with either Russia or the military in general. So I'm afraid I can't help you with your query. Though I would like to know why you want to fight for Putin anyway, not that I'm saying I'm with Ukraine like the West. But regardless I wouldn't fight in Ukraine for Ukraine or for Russia.

[shiro2142]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone whos been in the Russian military as a foreigner can share their insights on their experience. There is much material to peruse on those who have served in the French Foreign Legion but I haven't been able to find any first hand accounts of anyone, much less any westerner, who has served in the Russian Army. My interest was piqued as according to this article one can go through a simplified application for Russian citizenship after 6 months on deployment and a year in the service.

https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/09/ ... ons-a78941

I guess Putin is getting desperate for any recruits.

Yes, I am considering joining. My friend has expressed interest as well. As for myself, I have experience as an officer, an O-1 second lieutenant MOS 56X, in a state defense force and as a member in the Civil Air Patrol and Coast Guard Auxiliary but I am under no delusions that this would be an easy undertaking. I have begun personal training at a gym with a 90 percent discount and will begin my beginning Russian class next quarter at a community college and I have started studying the Cyrillic script today . I already speak Spanish, Korean and English so I hope learning a 4th language won't be too difficult. I am however, obese, and 37 years old but have the maturity of a teenager. I am only 5'5" inches tall. I am also disabled with Schizophrenia and sleep apnea.

My friend is 6ft, only in his mid twenties, an Orthodox Christian, and has a MS degree in a STEM field and is a weightlifter so I feel he has a much better chance of pulling this off than me but I reserve hope. The only thing is he has no military experience.

We are both pampered Americans who would no doubt be shocked at the conditions in the Russian Army.

Please don't criticize me too harshly. If someone could also assess the probability of our suc cess it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Hey, where abouts are you from?

I have no experience in the Russian military. I have no experience with either Russia or the military in general. So I'm afraid I can't help you with your query. Though I would like to know why you want to fight for Putin anyway, not that I'm saying I'm with Ukraine like the West. But regardless I wouldn't fight in Ukraine for Ukraine or for Russia.

To answer your first question, I was born in Illinois, grew up in Portland, Oregon, and went to undergrad in California. Iv'e kinda been restless these past 8 years traveling to many places. Iv'e visited 19 countries; lived and studied in Mexico and Costa Rica. My favorite places being Medellin, Colombia and San Francisco, ha.

I have several reasons for considering to join. Aside from the citizenship, I consider military service extremely prestigious and anyone who has served in a foreign military is doubly badass in my book. I don't want to join a regular US military branch as I don't want to serve Biden's administration and be forced to get a booster. Serving would also facilitate some future plans of mine but I realize it may just be a pipedream. Part of it is I come from a military family of high rank.

[AllTimesUTC]

There are combat videos of soldiers dying in Ukraine (google them). Like the guy takes a bullet to the gut, groans in pain, shoots back, then falls limp to the ground. I would consider watching a few of those before you decide to join any military.

Here are 2 videos showing violence from both sides:

YouTube: Russian soldiers caught on camera killing Ukrainian civilians - BBC News
NYPost: Ukrainian-forces-caught-on-video-shooting-dead-wounded-russian-soldier

(ignore the propaganda and focus on the violent acts)


Are these the situations you want to be in?

[shiro2142]

There are combat videos of soldiers dying in Ukraine (google them). Like the guy takes a bullet to the gut, groans in pain, shoots back, then falls limp to the ground. I would consider watching a few of those before you decide to join any military.

Here are 2 videos showing violence from both sides:

YouTube: Russian soldiers caught on camera killing Ukrainian civilians - BBC News
NYPost: Ukrainian-forces-caught-on-video-shooting-dead-wounded-russian-soldier

(ignore the propaganda and focus on the violent acts)


Are these the situations you want to be in?

All that is called "war." Plus, those videos you included are by definition propaganda.

[Yohan]

This is a very strange comment. However let me say, before you even consider to join such a desperate group like Russian soldiers and willing to risk your life, I would first of all check how much your employer will pay you and if he is able to pay on time.

Life threatening, but good paid jobs are known as bodyguards for rich people against assassination attempts and protecting also their properties against home invasion, robbery and assassination and further their family members against kidnapping - somewhere in Latin America, in some Islamic countries or in South Africa etc. Such guards are everywhere wanted, also in Philippines and in other high crime countries.

[Shemp]

Life threatening, but good paid jobs are known as bodyguards for rich people against assassination attempts and protecting also their properties against home invasion, robbery and assassination and further their family members against kidnapping - somewhere in Latin America, in some Islamic countries or in South Africa etc. Such guards are everywhere wanted, also in Philippines and in other high crime countries.

@Cornfed might want to look into this sort of work, with all his talk of martial arts and his recent work building himself up to be a male beauty pageant contestant. Special type of client with strong opinions about black people and vaccines and jews might find in Cornfed just the employee he needs.

[MarcosZeitola]

Apparantly there's quite a tradition of new recruits being sodomized by senior soldiers and officers in the Russian army... doesn't really sound like my ideal workplace, but to each their own, I suppose:

https://medium.com/@jeanmarievalheur/de ... ----------

[Yohan]

RUSSIA: NEW ARMY RECRUITS ARE VICTIMS TO VICIOUS BULLYING ALLEGATION

[AllTimesUTC]

shiro2142, you write that you have Schizophrenia. "Highly stressful or life-changing events may sometimes trigger schizophrenia."
You are putting yourself at increased risk of relapse. This would not only affect you, but would put your colleagues at risk. Is this fair to them or ethical? Maybe you would say the benefits outweigh the risks, but this is a question worth considering.


You state you were MOS 56X:
"56X Chaplain Candidate
Acts as the Battalion Chaplain for an Airborne Infantry Battalion of over 800 Soldiers; provides technical, administrative, and battle staff functions and logistical support for worship services and ministry events along with other religious activities in an Airborne Infantry Battalion; consolidates counseling and weekly reports; maintains hand receipts for section property valued in excess of $10,000."


Are there any ways you can reach your goals without combat? What are the alternatives you're considering?

What about continuing your religious duties?

[have2fly]

OMG. How many stupid people are here? Putin is throwing every piece of meat into this war. Soldiers literally sleep outside with no cover, no gear. They all get sick with flu and pneumonia. Ukrainians killed around 65,000 Russian soldiers already, something like 100,000 of Russian soldiers are also permanently disabled missing legs, arms or other body parts. What is your goal to go fight in Russia against Ukraine? You want to die for rich Jewish Russian oligarchs friends of Putin such as Аркадий Ротенберг? Unlike you, I lived in Russia and Ukraine. I understand this war is complete BS and Russia will lose. Best decision is stay the f**k away from this war. Russians are widely known for not paying any money or benefits to their soldiers.

Watch this video. Russian soldiers have no medical care, so they literally rot alive inside their tanks. This Russian soldier is lucky Ukrainians captured him and provided him medical care.

[have2fly]

Apparantly there's quite a tradition of new recruits being sodomized by senior soldiers and officers in the Russian army... doesn't really sound like my ideal workplace, but to each their own, I suppose:

https://medium.com/@jeanmarievalheur/de ... ----------

Absolutely correct. Fresh Russian soldiers get raped by their seniors all the time. That's why suicides are very normal in Russian military and no one cares. Today they had a mass shooting event at training grounds for newly mobilized. I suspect those shooting were rape victims of their senior officers.

Eleven Russian soldiers killed in mass shooting by fellow volunteers

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... und-attack

[Huddo]

I have Russian friends with military backgrounds and they have contacts at the front. The last place you want to be atm is a foreigner who can’t speak the language fighting at the Russian front. It’s hard enough for Russian speakers when there’s no direction from leadership let alone fighting in a directionless army with men you can’t communicate with. They functioning at a level above a helpless small child as non Russian speaking tourist outside Moscow or St Pete, it’s a challenge. Even buying a bus ticket can be a frustratingly time consuming let alone fighting in a dynamically changing war zone.

What do my Russian friends say about the chances of victory ? :- They already know they have lost. They know that history will portray them similarly to the Germans of WW2. There is no positive outcome for the Russian victims forced to fight in Ukraine. None want to be there, even career soldiers judging by the daily phone intercepts.

If you want citizenship for dating purposes, then there’s a very easy path to follow to success V offering yourself up as cannon fodder to the meat grinder that Ukraine is for Russian troops atm.

[MarcosZeitola]

Absolutely correct. Fresh Russian soldiers get raped by their seniors all the time. That's why suicides are very normal in Russian military and no one cares. Today they had a mass shooting event at training grounds for newly mobilized. I suspect those shooting were rape victims of their senior officers.

Eleven Russian soldiers killed in mass shooting by fellow volunteers

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/ ... und-attack

The fact that literally hundreds of Russian soldiers commit suicide each year due to several physical and sexual abuse from older soldiers is incredibly disgusting and disturbing. It seems as if the conditions in Russia's army barracks are similar to the American prison system with senior troops making the fresh meat into their bitches. For a country hailed by right-wing Americans as some sort of bastion of right-wing anti-LGBT sanity in a wicked world, thagt sure sounds... mighty gay to me.

[MarcosZeitola]

What do my Russian friends say about the chances of victory ? :- They already know they have lost. They know that history will portray them similarly to the Germans of WW2. There is no positive outcome for the Russian victims forced to fight in Ukraine. None want to be there, even career soldiers judging by the daily phone intercepts.

Yeah that sounds very depressing, I can imagine the overall mood in Russia must be quite bleak right around now. I really pity the people, they never made the concious choice to die for one man's megalomania. I'm no fan of "the collective West", don't get me wrong, but its painfully obvious that the whole war was an aging despot's massive overcalculation. Even here on the HappierAbroad thread about the invasion, people in the first pages seemed awfully certain Russia would just waltz all over Ukraine in some glorious blitzkrieg. When that failed to materialize, the coping mechanisms kicked in. Sooner or later we'll have to face reality; as much as people desperately hate America here and want the West to collapse, it seems Russia's going down a lot sooner. Sure we can talk about the artificially inflated ruble or what-have-you but the dead oligarchs and huge brain drain of any educated Russian worth his salt speaks for itself...