By: Jonathan Shan

All men in Russia aged 18–27 must serve at least one year in military services in light of the Russian and Ukraine war. This law has caused many inexperienced men to meet their doom and left many grieving families to mourn them.

Russia has forced young men like Yevgeny Chubarin to join the war. Yevgeny’s story is brief and tragic. He had happily told his mom that he would fight against Ukraine, while his mom begged him to stay. Later, he went out to battle on May 15 and perished the next day.

True stories such as these cause issues for the military when recruiting more people for war. Some go viral, such as that of a retired 59-year-old Soviet-trained pilot who left to go to war and died during training.

Russia is trying to remove these stories to prevent antiwar activists from gaining popularity. Also, if people knew how many Russians were dead, Russia would have trouble with its recruiting efforts.

Chubarin’s death is an insight into what’s happening near the front lines and Russia’s desperation to win the war. He was drafted into the military and had also signed a 3-month contract.

The young man had left on May 11, supplying his family with photos and videos of his journey. He only received four days of training until the army ordered him to go into battle as a machine gunner. He was later found dead near Mariupol on May 16. “He was a very brave guy, was not afraid of anything. He was so cheerful and open and so kind.”

Family members perishing in this war and the deaths of important civilians have affected communities, leaving them shattered because of Russia’s desperate military needs.

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/08/07/russia-ukraine-war-deaths-toll/#:~:text=When%20Yevgeny%20Chubarin%20told%20his,But%20his%20exhilaration%20shone%20through.