Nobody's boys

Russian media frequently highlights pardoned prisoners, emphasizing how they "atoned for their crime with blood." Surprisingly, now even orphans are being presented with a similar proposition involving shedding blood. These youngsters, who often have vague memories of their parents and lack significant adult guidance, might be even more vulnerable than prisoners. Authorities urge them, saying, "Go for six months. There will be a salary ohow can they decline? They are not afraid of encountering violence: life in an orphanage is full of it, it is familiar.

This film serves as another endeavor to explore the reasons behind Russians' willingness to take up arms.

This film is part of the documentary project «The Assignment» made by Novaya Gazeta journalists who remain in Russia and continue to work under war censorship and risks.

Film editor – Kirill Sakharnov.