Mila Yakovleva
pensioner
“I think we should show a good example for the future soldiers. It is necessary that the people who fought talk about it. It shows the young people an example of patriotism. It’s the best thing to do. It is also up to the families to raise patriotic boys from their early years.”
Oleg Redko
restorer of rare books
“Young people who may want to go to war are unsure if they want to protect a corrupt country. No one wants to serve in the army for the sake of oligarchs. Also, soldiers are paid very little. More people will trust the government is it stops lying to them.”
Dmytro Tkachenko
retired army colonel
“I’m sure that normal people will go into the army. When I’m asked to help someone dodge the draft, I say that I can’t. I believe that any man should serve his country. Perhaps we should have a contract army, like the one in the United States.”
Vitaly Torin
soldier in reserve
“The first drafted soldiers have already returned home from the frontlines. Would it be just to call them up again? We must call up the young people who have nothing to do. One can just walk around the nightclubs, cafes and find a lot of new soldiers. But I have already served and don’t want to go through that again.”
