Is Russia trying to recruit Donetsk residents to fight in Syria? (Probably not)
A few days ago, some pretty shocking allegations lit up the pro-government Ukrainian social media. I originally saw it in a post over at pauluskp's LJ, but Google and Yandex search turns up plenty of other places. They're all showing a poster that was supposedly a military recruitment seen around occupied Donetsk.
I will get to why I'm qualifying all of this in a few paragraphs. First, lets take a look at the image.
For the non-Russian speakers, here's what it says:
OUR SYRIAN BROTHERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU!
The International "Crusader" Battalion is looking for brave men [who are]:
We guarantee respectable pay, combat bonuses, full equipment and training.
Sign up by phone at (062) [remaining seven digits redacted]
So, basically, if this poster is real, somebody is looking to recruit mercenaries to fight in Syria, on President Assad's side. Which suggests that Russian government, or someone connected to it, is involved. As for why Donetsk - as pauluskp and others have pointed out, the city isn't exactly teeming with economic opportunities. Sure, it involves fighting on a foreign soil and, most likely, ignoramus death, but at least it pays.
But I had doubts about the poster almost from the get go.
First of all, I haven't been able to find the original source. And second... there is the battalion's name. In Russia, Crusaders don't really have a positive reputation. After all, they are best known for trying to invade Novgorod. So I don't really see Russian recruiters using that particular phrasing. And while I don't know if Ukrainians may not have the same cultural associations (i honestly don't know if they do), Donetsk Oblast is one of the country's more culturally Russian regions.
There is also the fact that, while double-checking a few things for this post, I came across several sources claiming that the redacted phone number actually belonged to a drug addiction treatment clinic. And, unlike the poster, that part seems to check out - the clinic exists, it has a website, and there is a post saying that they are most certainly not recruiting mercenaries, and whoever made the images is full of crap.
This is far, far from the first time this sort of thing happened in social media. StopFake.org, a site dedicated solely to debunking misinformation about the Ukrainian Crisis, exists for a reason. There is plenty of misinformation coming from both sides of the conflict, and because reliable news about the region is hard to come by, they tend to get a lot of traction.
But the worst part is - according to the sites I linked to earlier, the number actually got lots of calls. Which meant that ppauluskp was right about one thing.
People in Donetsk really are that desperate.
I will get to why I'm qualifying all of this in a few paragraphs. First, lets take a look at the image.
For the non-Russian speakers, here's what it says:
OUR SYRIAN BROTHERS ARE WAITING FOR YOU!
The International "Crusader" Battalion is looking for brave men [who are]:
- Ages 18-40
- In good physical shape
- Live a sober lifestyle
- Have patriotic convictions
- Fighting skills, military education and combat experience welcome
We guarantee respectable pay, combat bonuses, full equipment and training.
Sign up by phone at (062) [remaining seven digits redacted]
So, basically, if this poster is real, somebody is looking to recruit mercenaries to fight in Syria, on President Assad's side. Which suggests that Russian government, or someone connected to it, is involved. As for why Donetsk - as pauluskp and others have pointed out, the city isn't exactly teeming with economic opportunities. Sure, it involves fighting on a foreign soil and, most likely, ignoramus death, but at least it pays.
But I had doubts about the poster almost from the get go.
First of all, I haven't been able to find the original source. And second... there is the battalion's name. In Russia, Crusaders don't really have a positive reputation. After all, they are best known for trying to invade Novgorod. So I don't really see Russian recruiters using that particular phrasing. And while I don't know if Ukrainians may not have the same cultural associations (i honestly don't know if they do), Donetsk Oblast is one of the country's more culturally Russian regions.
There is also the fact that, while double-checking a few things for this post, I came across several sources claiming that the redacted phone number actually belonged to a drug addiction treatment clinic. And, unlike the poster, that part seems to check out - the clinic exists, it has a website, and there is a post saying that they are most certainly not recruiting mercenaries, and whoever made the images is full of crap.
This is far, far from the first time this sort of thing happened in social media. StopFake.org, a site dedicated solely to debunking misinformation about the Ukrainian Crisis, exists for a reason. There is plenty of misinformation coming from both sides of the conflict, and because reliable news about the region is hard to come by, they tend to get a lot of traction.
But the worst part is - according to the sites I linked to earlier, the number actually got lots of calls. Which meant that ppauluskp was right about one thing.
People in Donetsk really are that desperate.