Kremlin Fears Violence of Russian Troops Returning From War: Report

 

According to reports, the Kremlin is growing increasingly concerned about a surge in violent crimes committed by Russian soldiers returning from Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This issue is seen as a major political and social risk factor for Putin's presidency.

Citing unnamed Kremlin sources, the independent Russian news outlet Meduza reported that Sergey Kiriyenko, Putin's first deputy chief of staff, expressed worries that many soldiers were "adapting poorly" to civilian life after the war. Kiriyenko reportedly told deputy governors that a significant number of returning soldiers had enlisted in the army to escape prison, and upon their return to Russia, had committed serious crimes such as murder and rape.

The Kremlin official suggested that Russian veterans from the Ukraine conflict face a different reintegration challenge compared to those who came back from the Soviet-Afghan war or World War II. This is because Russian society has only experienced the war in Ukraine "on TV" and lacks the direct wartime experience to "understand and accept" the returning soldiers.

Russian authorities have begun referring to these soldiers as "the new Afghans," drawing parallels to the problems faced by veterans of the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s. There are concerns that the returning soldiers could become disillusioned with civilian life and potentially form criminal groups.

The Kremlin fears that the influx of these battle-hardened veterans could become the country's "biggest political and social risk factor" during Putin's presidency. The worry is that the public might react to the veterans with "fear" and even "aggression" towards all military personnel.

This issue is further complicated by the fact that Russia has recruited more than 100,000 convicts from penal colonies to serve on the frontlines in Ukraine. The return of these prisoners to civilian life in Russia has posed additional challenges, with reports of at least 107 people killed and 100 more seriously injured by veterans.

In June, Russia's newly appointed deputy defense minister, Anna Tsivileva, a relative of Putin, acknowledged that every fifth soldier returning from the war has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and there is a shortage of psychologists to provide support.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has suggested that the Kremlin "likely gave little consideration to the long-term social consequences" of the war before launching the invasion of Ukraine. The think tank noted that the Kremlin is already struggling to address ongoing interethnic and interreligious conflicts within Russia, and the Wagner Group armed rebellion in 2023 demonstrated how discontent among Russian military personnel can quickly become a threat to the regime's stability.

As the Russian government grapples with the influx of returning soldiers, the Kremlin is faced with the challenge of mitigating the potential risks posed by these veterans, both in terms of public safety and political stability. The long-term consequences of the Ukraine invasion continue to unfold, posing significant challenges for Putin's administration.