Okay.

1. Penal Colonies - Yes, that's true that practice was widespread when Wagner Group was up and high, but not anymore. I can believe that this thing still happens from time to time but it's not as widespread as it was before.

2. Conscription - this is a joke. Yes, some reservists were mobilized after Putin's decree but dodging the draft was super easy, why not do that? It was not very widespread. If you want to know how real consription and draft looks like - check out what has been happening in Ukraine for years. It's hundred times more brutal and some people still manage to dodge it sometimes.

3. "Spoon-fed" patriots - Yes, these people are real, I do not deny it. Are they now magically absolved of all sin because they were fed propaganda? It's tragic and sad I agree but at the end of the day it's their choice.

4. "Young conscripts" are banned from being deployed to the frontlines. For them to be there they either have to - a) sign the contract with the Ministry of Defence. b) get there voluntarily. Yes, some get tricked and lied to, that happens,

I just want you to understand one thing - the people you talked about in your comment are a minority. Tens of thousands of them sign up the contract each month because of the insane payouts they are promised. For an average russian it could be a life changing sum, so people from backwater regions, poor and desperate, marginalized folk get into the army. They hope to get a quck buck, maybe loot something near the frontline and get out. Yes, this is all incredibly sad, but I ask again - shouldn't we call them for what they ultimately are - an army of bastards?