Why Russia’s appeal to ‘warrior masculinity’ is unlikely to encourage men to enlist

Pervasive views of militarism dating back to the fall of the Soviet Union are proving difficult to shake-off

A Russian National guard serviceman stands guard outside the Kremlin
A Russian National guard serviceman stands guard outside the Kremlin
(Image credit: Alexander Nemenov/Getty Images)

Marina Yusupova, lecturer in sociology at Edinburgh Napier University explains how new tactics drawn up by President Putin to persuade greater numbers of men to enlist in the Russian army are likely to fail due to societal hangovers from the fall of the Soviet Union.

In his May 9 Victory Parade speech, Russian president Vladimir Putin likened the war in Ukraine to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, saying “real war” had been unleashed against Russia.

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