Diary of a Russian soldier - Андрей Владимирович Устинович

At 18, like many young men, I faced the prospect of being drafted into the military. As a teenager, I had dreams of being a hero, participating in special operations, and bravely fighting in battle. However, as time passed, I realized that my path was leading me in a different direction, and I began to embrace life to the fullest. I did my best to avoid military service, but at 22, I found myself drafted into an engineering regiment. I had heard stories of brutality and abuse in the army, and feared for my life. I made the decision to document my experiences in a diary, with the intention of sharing it with others upon my return home. Through my writing, I hope to shed light on the life of a conscript soldier in Russia and the post-Soviet region as a whole.