Russian soldiers

Nearly 4,000 new Russian army recruits commit suicide or die each year due to military hazing practices. This process, known as dedovshchina, requires the recruits to be virtual slaves to their superiors. In addition to being forced to give over their personal effects, money, and food, these soldiers are subjected to humiliation and severe beatings. In one incident, 50 recruits were sent to the hospital with pneumonia after being forced to spend a day in below freezing temperatures without appropriate clothing and one died. The Russian government must stop dealing with these hazing incidents on a case-by-case basis and address the overarching problem. The recent mass protests and desertions of the older recruits should serve as a wake-up call; the inhumane practices of dedovshchina are caustic not only to each individual, but the army as a whole. This must be stopped immediately. Write to the Russian Embassy showing your disapproval now!