You mean the 18-30 y/o men who are conscripted into compulsory military service for a year? Kinda sounds like a lot of them might not have much choice, barring gulag or suicide, in the matter.
I prefer to hate everyone willing to kill me, my friends, my family, take over my country equally. Especially so, if they do it for money, for ten years.
Hard to grasp such a complex concept, I understand.
I can understand why you feel the way you do and cannot dispute it is a hatred you've earned.
Just like I wouldn't be able to blame any Canadian for hating every US soldier if the US were to invade Canada.
I personally feel bad for every person involved in something as horrible as fighting in a war. I wish their hearts, brains, and energies could instead be employed in something peaceful, helpful, and beneficial for the future.
I live in Finland, where about five percent of the people are Russian-speakers. Half from the Russia, the other half from Baltics.
My image of them has changed dramatically since 2022. I've had a job where I encounter a lot of different low-educated workers, and that has a included several tens of Russian-speakers. There has been precisely one among them that has not been repeating Putin's talking points.
Nowadays I try to steer clear of everyone with a Russian name because I don't want to ruin my workday. When they hear that I've lived some time in Ukraine, the war easily comes up. And then does the propaganda.
Having this experience has been something I really wouldn't have wanted to have. I have indeed met Russians who are decent people. But, all of them have received other citizenships already years ago, because if you don't believe the Russian propaganda, you see what a horrible country it is, and want nothing to do with it.
If someone has not left the Russia by 2025, they have a reason for that. They stand for Putin's fascism.
For a lot of people, yeah actually. It’s all relative to each country’s general economy and propaganda, but there are a lot of people around the world either already in the military willing to die or kill for their country because of patriotism or feeling like there’s no other career paths for them, or that would take up the call if conscripted by their country.
Then think about how hitmen, assassins, sicarios and those type of criminals are usually from poverty or lower class and just regular people that descended into a life of crime and kill for money. Yeah, I think it’s actually quite common for regular folk to be killing others for money unfortunately.