Russia-Ukraine War Questions

[FrenchDunadan]

@chappachula

@dtilque

Due to it not being a declared war, Russian soldiers can refuse to go back to Ukraine if they make it to Russia.

This absolutely astounds me.
Is there any other army, anywhere in the world, where every private can give orders to his commanding officer, and say “I refuse to let you station me at x location” ?

in fact, the details seems to be that:

1. a war hasn’t been declared (yet…) so Russia is not at war time, so peace time rules applies.
2. in peace time, only volunteers can be send outside Russia.
3. but if you ARE already in Ukraine, you can’t just leave.
   So step1) get the heck out of Ukraine
   step 2) don’t go back.

[Alessan]

@FrenchDunadan

in fact, the details seems to be that:

1. a war hasn’t been declared (yet…) so Russia is not at war time, so peace time rules applies.
2. in peace time, only volunteers can be send outside Russia.
3. but if you ARE already in Ukraine, you can’t just leave.
   So step1) get the heck out of Ukraine
   step 2) don’t go back.

Wait… didn’t the soldiers running from Ukraine already volunteer before the first time they crossed the border? Isn’t their signature (I assume they signed something) still on the record? Or does the law say they have to volunteer every time they enter a foreign country?

[Folacin]

@Alessan

Wait… didn’t the soldiers running from Ukraine already volunteer before the first time they crossed the border?

I’m sure I remember stories from early in the war that a lot Russian soldiers were surprised to find themselves in Ukraine (maybe told they were going on maneuvers?). Others were there to “fight the Nazi’s”, so that presumably counts as volunteering.

[chappachula]

@Folacin

that presumably counts as volunteering.

What I can’t comprehend is why Putin and his corrupt army are so concerned about obeying the letter of the law regarding volunteers and peace-time regulations.

This is an army which proudly maintains “blocking brigades” to frickin’ shoot its own soldiers if they desert their unit.
But if those soldiers manage to return to Russian soil after deserting, then , gee whiz, everything is fine, and we can’t make them go back to where their units are stationed.

Where’s the logic?

[Alessan]

@chappachula

But if those soldiers manage to return to Russian soil after deserting, then , gee whiz, everything is fine, and we can’t make them go back to where their units are stationed.

Where’s the logic?

This isn’t about respect for the rule of law, this is about fear of mutiny. Soldiers are weird. They’re willingly follow incompetent officers on suicide missions, but as soon as you take away something that they consider their “right” - no matter how strange this right may seem - they’ll rebel. Right now, the Russian army believes they have the right not to serve outside the country. If Putin takes that right away, there’s a good chance they’ll turn on him.