A clip from the Russian miniseries Soldaty

Playing Soldier
By Vladimir Kozlov
Special to Russia Profile, June 2, 2007

According to most recent data, the television series Soldaty (Soldiers) broadcast on the Ren-TV channel, is among Russia’s most popular television shows. The series, focusing on the day-to-day life of young conscripts in today’s Russian military, attracts the attention of people from all walks of life, since military service is something of nearly universal concern in the country. With mandatory military service in place, thousands of teenage boys are following the episodes of "Soldiers" closely, trying to figure out what might await them, while parents and other relatives share their concerns following rumors of violence and hazing among conscripts.

However, like anything produced for entertainment, the series presents audiences with an embellished picture of what the contemporary Russian military is like, focusing on anecdotes and hardly touching on the most acute problems, such as corruption, criminality and physical abuse. Even the newscasts on state-owned channels show enough for viewers to understand that the military world painted in "Soldiers" is much softer and easier than what young Russians are likely to face once conscripted. Every year, hundreds of conscripts die in the armed forces while not involved in any military operations. This dark side of the domestic army is yet to be reflected in popular culture, since uncovering these issues remains the work of journalists rather than artists [Russia Blog - see this and this for evidence to the contrary - Russian pop culture is full of songs about the hardships and occasional cruelties of army life].

Still, the popularity of "Soldiers" is a clear sign that the military is once again claiming a large niche in film, literature and television...

You can read the rest of the article at Russia Profile. Click on the extended post to watch clips from other Russian movies and television shows with military themes.