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PaperclipPerfector  3d ago (text post)   1816 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 12, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

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Is the war in Ukraine eugenic for Russia? Apparently all the combat units are sourced from soldiers who sign volitional contracts, and those who sign up are from the poorest regions, enticed by a one-time payment of 2-4x their annual salary.

I'm suspicious that they're not using any vatniks conscripts at all right now, but leaving that aside, getting a significant fraction of your own young men killed in a pointless war causes too much damage to even remotely be worth it, especially given Russia's senile demographics.

Vatniks are the ideological supporters of mainstream Russian politics. I think you meant conscripts.

"Vatnik" is East European equivalent of "redneck". Vatnik is heavy quilted jacket worn by people working outside in frost, snow, rain and mud. It began as slur, but was reclaimed by proud vatniks.

As opposed to "sovok" - this is Eastern European equivalent of "boomer", it means person nostalgic for USSR and/or person with strong Soviet mindset and (negative) habits. Stereotypical sovok is elderly rural person, but not always, easy to find 20 years old sovoks.

This word is seen as pure slur, no people call themselves "sovoks" willingly.

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