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Today, Explained

Conned into the Russian army

Today, Explained

Vox

Daily News, Politics, News

4.49.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2024

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Desperately low on troops for its protracted war with Ukraine, the Russian military is relying on men from countries like India to fill its ranks. Journalist Shalu Yadav tells the story of a man who was tricked into joining the army and managed to escape. This episode was produced by Hady Mawajdeh, edited by Matt Collette, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Rob Byers, and guest-hosted by Haleema Shah. Transcript at vox.com/todayexplained Support Today, Explained by making a financial contribution to Vox! bit.ly/givepodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Russia held its elections this weekend and Vladimir Putin was unsurprisingly declared

0:06.0

president.

0:08.0

The Kremlin says it's a sign that Russians broadly approve of his war in Ukraine, which is now in its second year.

0:16.0

Accurate polling on that is hard to come by though. What we do know for sure is this.

0:21.0

Both countries are suffering from a troop shortage and Russia has a

0:25.1

strategy to refill its ranks. Yes it is actually happening on a big scale you know

0:30.1

not just from India and Nepal but from countries like you know China

0:33.7

Kazakhistan but jazakhistan but last week India said its citizens weren't

0:39.4

voluntarily signing up for the Russian military. They were trafficked.

0:43.0

Several Indian nationals have been duped to work with the Russian army.

0:47.0

Coming up, Russia's accidental mercenaries,

0:50.0

and how they disguise the real cost of war.

0:54.0

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1:25.0

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...

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