My theory: Russia needs a forever war, they have completely switched to a war economy and peace would crash what's left of it. That's why Putin only demands conditions for peace that he knows Ukraine won't accept. Sure, it means throwing a few hundred Russian people into the meat grinder every week, but that's a prize he's willing to pay without a smidge of remorse.
Exactly as young as you think unfortunately. They did have slavery, so probably without consent too.