Young Russians are avoiding combat in Ukraine by enlisting in Kaskad, a politically motivated drone unit, offering elite members a chance to enhance their status while remaining safe from peril.
Selfies from the Front: The Kaskad Brigade and Russia's War Elite
Selfies from the Front: The Kaskad Brigade and Russia's War Elite
Russian officials boost their careers with short stints in a drone brigade, avoiding frontline dangers.
In the backdrop of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, many young Russian men have been striving to evade frontline deployments since the conflict escalated. However, a niche group is actively pursuing a different path of service. This path is to join Kaskad, a drone brigade labeled by President Vladimir V. Putin as essential for national defense. This particular brigade allows recruits to take on short missions far removed from the actual fighting, a convenience that has drawn interest among pro-war officials.
Kaskad's operations are situated in a clandestine location within regions of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation. Analysts and Kremlin observers classify this unit as a “V.I.P. group,” which provides junior politicians a means of enhancing their careers without the risk of being sent to battle. Since the war's beginning, many Russian men have been mobilized for conflict, only to face prolonged deployments fraught with high casualties. In contrast, service within Kaskad is typically short, lasting between three to eight months, thereby significantly reducing exposure to hostilities.
Members of Kaskad benefit from well-documented experiences that serve to bolster their public image. Social media is awash with posts showcasing their experiences, posing with firearms, and heralding their return home with the celebrated welcome of war veterans. Such deployments not only grant these elite figures an avenue to bypass compulsory military service but also present an opportunity to gain favor within the Kremlin’s upper echelons.
Reports from Britain's defense ministry have indicated that enlistment in Kaskad essentially allows these influential individuals to circumvent the dangers and duties of normal military service while painting a picture of patriotism for their political careers. Thus, while the war continues to claim the lives of numerous soldiers on the front lines, a select group seems to be navigating the conflict with relative immunity.
Kaskad's operations are situated in a clandestine location within regions of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation. Analysts and Kremlin observers classify this unit as a “V.I.P. group,” which provides junior politicians a means of enhancing their careers without the risk of being sent to battle. Since the war's beginning, many Russian men have been mobilized for conflict, only to face prolonged deployments fraught with high casualties. In contrast, service within Kaskad is typically short, lasting between three to eight months, thereby significantly reducing exposure to hostilities.
Members of Kaskad benefit from well-documented experiences that serve to bolster their public image. Social media is awash with posts showcasing their experiences, posing with firearms, and heralding their return home with the celebrated welcome of war veterans. Such deployments not only grant these elite figures an avenue to bypass compulsory military service but also present an opportunity to gain favor within the Kremlin’s upper echelons.
Reports from Britain's defense ministry have indicated that enlistment in Kaskad essentially allows these influential individuals to circumvent the dangers and duties of normal military service while painting a picture of patriotism for their political careers. Thus, while the war continues to claim the lives of numerous soldiers on the front lines, a select group seems to be navigating the conflict with relative immunity.
