HIRE TO FIGHT IF YOU CAN'T

Fearing interests among the young for a career in the military is increasingly becoming a global phenomenon.

Many countries are now facing a situation of acute shortages of soldiers to keep their armed forces in shape.

Among other things, the just revealed instances of a score of Indians and Nepalese being misled by human traffickers to work for the Russian armed forces fighting in Ukraine prove the growing use of mercenaries and private military companies (PMC) in wars in various parts of the world to cope with the dwindling numbers of fresh recruits into the regular military services. That Russia, or for that matter Ukraine, is finding it hard to have enough nationals willing to fight the war is widely known. Because of the shortage of regular soldiers, Russian President Vladimir Putin was forced last year to call up the reserves, something not seen since the Second World War. Russia has now made refusal to comply when summoned, surrender to the enemy, and desertion criminal offences carrying a ten-year prison sentence. This reportedly triggered protests across the country, leading to the torching of recruitment centres.

Somehow, Putin is said to have managed the situation by showing leniency and opting for more contract soldiers, who, at least in theory, fight voluntarily in return for pay. To entice many such volunteers, the government is spending money on advertisements of the benefits of swapping the job of a taxi driver, fitness instructor or security guard in a supermarket for that of a warrior. “You are a man. So be one” is said to be a standard theme in such advertisements.