Vladimir Putin is nowhere near close to a coveted win in his war on Ukraine, and he recently presided over a Victory Day parade that included one sad little tank. Beyond the death and destruction of the war itself — and so many lives erased on the battlefield — Russia’s economy is in tatters. Basic goods are lacking, to put things mildly, and the nation’s sorry attempt at a McDonald’s imitation has not won over fans of the real deal.
Still, Putin’s propaganda machine is urging everyone to look at the bright side of things. That includes the country’s record-low unemployment as boasted about by a Russian State TV talking head, Dmitry Kiselyov. He’s a staunch Putin ally, of course, and he urged everyone to be thrilled about a Russian labor shortage as evidence of a strong economy. According to Business Insider, he totally did not disclose that this is almost completely the case because of Putin’s war. Not only have so many Russian men been recruited, but plenty of others have fled to other countries to avoid being drafted. It’s a grim reality, looking at the numbers:
In March, the country was losing an estimated 776 soldiers a day, which dropped to 568 in April, according to UK intelligence.
Around 300,00 men were drafted into the Russian military last September, and a new wave of mobilizations is considered likely amid continued setbacks. Added to that is Russia’s already declining and ageing population.
Not ideal. In other Putin news, the Russian president has huffily banned top officials from leaving their jobs until his Ukraine war concludes. This news follows word of two more top Russian officers losing their lives on the battlefield over the weekend.
(Via Business Insider)