This chapter examines the current status of the Russian military amid ongoing conflict and rising casualty rates. It highlights the Kremlin's shift towards voluntary enlistment and the impact of propaganda, alongside the challenges of tracking military losses. Additionally, it discusses motivations for enlistment, recruitment tactics, and the surprising comeback of basic mobile phones amidst the smartphone era.
Tourists are getting decidedly less-warm welcomes in popular spots, but blunt anti-tourism policies are self-defeating. We look at how to maintain benefits for both the visitors and the visited. As Russia tries to avoid another military draft, a slick recruitment drive seems to be bringing in new troops (09:22). And fatigue with smartphones is leading to a fashion for dumb ones (15:22).
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