The independent Russian news site media zone bases that conclusion on a study of 1,744 fallen soldiers whose deaths were reported by the government, in local media or in obituaries. That is more than the official figure reported by the Russian Defense Ministry at the end of last month: 1,351. The actual number is probably much higher. The United States estimates it at 15,000.
It is striking that of the 1,744 killed Russian soldiers who media zone examined a significant proportion from the southern region of Volgograd (66), the Caucasus Republic of Dagestan (125) and Buryatia (85) bordering Mongolia. Those figures are in stark contrast to those of St. Petersburg (10) and Moscow (3), even though those cities together are home to about 12 percent of Russia’s population.
The difference could partly be explained by the fact that reports of military deaths are less conspicuous there, but the political and economic situation probably plays a much more important role.
Contract Soldiers
Moscow and St. Petersburg are much richer and support for the opposition is much greater there, so that the enthusiasm for contract (contract soldier) to report to the army is small. (According to the Russian authorities fighting in Ukraine alone contractnik and no conscripts). Dagestan and Buryatia are among the most deprived areas of Russia. The average monthly wage in Dagestan is about 400 euros, in Buryatia even lower.
In both areas it is also difficult to find work, with the result that many Buryats and Dagestani seek refuge in jobs with the army. In Dagestan it even happens that people pay bribes to get a contract, the interest is so great.
Plenty of those contractnik have now arrived in Ukraine. Also in 2014, a tank brigade from Buryatia took part in the war in the Donbas, even though Moscow stubbornly denied that there were Russian soldiers.
Buddhist Funerals
Since the beginning of March, according to the independent news site Lyudi Bajkala Nearly daily Buddhist ritual burials take place in Buryatia, including in an archery sports complex in the capital, Ulan-Ude. Outsiders are stopped by the police, but athletes complain that sometimes there is still a corpse smell.
According to the site, many Buryats support the “special military operation” in Ukraine and are proud of their soldiers’ contribution in the fight against what the Kremlin calls the “Nazi regime” in Kyiv. But there are also criticisms here and there. Some Buryats complain that their boys are being used as cannon fodder by the Kremlin. However, open criticism is dangerous. A woman who recently demanded a bus driver to remove the war symbol ‘Z’ from the bus was delivered to the police station by him.
In Dagestan too, the majority seems to support the war against Ukraine, despite the high losses to the republic. According to the authorities, even after the start of the invasion, quite a few people would still feel like contract have reported. But according to a local newspaper, some recruitment agencies were silent.