I've seen a video compilation on Twitter that someone put together of the "14 video confirmed russian suicides" that they could find during the month of July. 14 videos of Russian soldiers putting their rifles to their chins and pulling the trigger, or holding a grenade against their chests. I actually felt really bad for the Russian soldiers. I don't think the world has ever before had such access to the harsh realties of war. If those videos were shared during an "unpopular war" in the west, I can't see the government maintaining support. The fact that Russia just carries on boggles my mind.
The "why' needs to be considered. The majority of Russian soldiers no matter how patriotic (in addition to being essentially brainwashed about who and why they are fighting) are fighting for the substantial for them bonuses and pay. The fact that they are unlikely to see what they are promised due to corruption and malfeasance is not widely believed.
Only recently has their society started to realise that the injury benefits are at the whim of the soldiers command structure (CO and at least one other witness to confirm that the GSW to the gut was an actual COMBAT injury and not self (or unit) inflicted nor received when not in contact with the enemy).
In addition to the absence of TCCC level care at the front and the lack of medical care in theater the belief, not without justification, is that if wounded they will be sent back to a 'meat assault' unit and rarely (unless they can bribe their way) home for role 3 care in Russia.
Add to that the belief, sponsored by their church and leadership, that if captured they will be tortured in obscene and terrible ways until they die for the amusement (or to satisfy revenge) of their captors. Which they KNOW is practiced by their side with Ukrainian captives and thus strongly believe.
So when injured and abandoned by their comrades it seems the better choice to suicide or try to take out some enemy at the same time by becoming an IED. At least that way (they believe) their death in combat due to contact with the enemy will lead to death benefits going to their family. It is not unknown for family members to encourage or even push their men to sign up - knowing they are more likely than not to financially benefit from their injury or death (and possibly remove an underemployed abusive alcoholic from their life).
But to my mind, compiling their last moments and posting in social media for the clicks and followers is the far more dysfunctional and sick occurrence. Only just worse than the actions of those who seek out and watch war/death porn.
www.twz.com
