Two young Russian mobiks (a derogatory term for military conscripts) were recently shocked by their treatment in Moscow. Since they're both from the rural provinces where they're told that it's their patriotic duty to go kill Ukrainians for the Motherland, they were dismayed by ordinary Muscovites' disdain for what they're doing. Not that all Muscovites are against the war or even against killing Ukrainians, but more the stupidity for not finding a way to evade the draft. The Russian forces are overwhelmingly made up of people not from Moscow or Saint Petersburg, the largest urban population centres. Avoiding military service there is still relatively easy if you have money and/or connections.

Source: Kyiv Post

In an interview with Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov, two Russian soldiers said that they feel they’re being rejected by Muscovites.

“Indeed, while on the metro, people distance themselves, uttering, ‘Ew, murderer,’” one of the soldiers said.

Pegov, the founder of the pro-invasion military blog WarGonzo, posted his interview with the soldiers on his Telegram channel.

“You go on the metro, and people stare at you because you wear a uniform. Again, I didn't go voluntarily, I received a summons and came to the military enlistment office. I didn't run away or hide like you. I acted like a law-abiding citizen. But when I come on holiday, they point fingers at me,” the soldier said.

The soldier said that Muscovites ask him why he couldn't evade the draft.

“And as it is widely known that Muscovites consider themselves 'better, smarter than others,’ they usually ask me ‘Why couldn't I avoid getting drafted?’ like ‘Why didn't I move somewhere abroad?’...Yes, and this is disgusting,” he said.

Translated by Dmitri.

A year ago, many Russians were afraid to even use the word "war" to describe what was going on in Ukraine. Now though some are willing to express their disgust for the war and what it's doing to ordinary Russians. Not to Ukrainians though, of course.