I was talking with a Russian student in VRChat recently. I could only understand bits and pieces of what he was saying (his English wasn’t so great) but I did pick up on his fear and anxiety
He said he wanted to flee to Argentina because he didn’t want to get drafted. He also mentioned the economy wasn’t great and a few other things I just couldn’t catch
It got me wondering what life is actually like over there right now… Is it as rough as he made it sound?
Uuuh, might’ve been a lib. They tend to scare themselves with their own propaganda. Like in 2023 when a shitload of them fled to Georgia, even though most of the ones who fled were in no danger to begin with.
If by “draft” he meant mobilization, there are no signs of a new one so far, and if he meant mandatory conscription for a year, those conscripts don’t get sent anywhere, so the scariest things are food and boredom.
Economy isn’t great, what with the sanctions and our moneybags’ unwillingness to industrialize, but I woudn’t call it a worse crisis than say 2014. That is to say things got more expensive in a way you feel, but life i still affordable. No ridiculous hyperinflation or anything. Housing market is shit. Not as bad as what I hear from the US, but shit. I also hear bad things about the car market, but I’m about as far from cars as a person that rides a taxi once a week can be.
I dunno, ask something specific, these “how’s life in x” questions are a bit loaded. Although I might not be the best person to ask some things, on account of being a loner by nature.
Edit: also, Argentina? Great choice.
When he mentioned the draft, I think he meant the one year mandatory military service, since he has to do it to get a job. He was rambling about the war in Ukraine and not trusting his government, saying he was worried they might restrict the internet like they do in China
Because I’m from Mexico he asked me about life here… specifically regarding affordability, poverty, and living costs. Then he completely switched gears to guns, saying that he was ok with shooting dangerous people in Mexico… I didn’t really catch what he meant. I gently nudged him to consider Argentina instead, since it’s a safer and cheaper option for immigration than Mexico
To be more specific, the question is: how affordable is life, what is the cost of living, and what is the reality of poverty and the everyday struggle, plus the relationship between the government and the people?
The Argentine economy isn’t doing so well right now and it’s only looking to get worse. They are better off staying in Russia. Russia is in a better position economically right now than most of the world actually, especially if a fuel crisis is on the horizon. I know the grass always seems greener on the other side, but believe me, Russia is one of the safest and most stable places you can be right now and for the foreseeable future.
They probably want to. But they don’t have the means as of right now.
Oh boy.
Depends a lot on whether you are renting a living space. People who rent aren’t many - I’ve seen estimates of 9%, 11% and 16% - thanks to many apartments being inherited since USSR, but most of those renting people are also young ones, who look at the housing market and see that even with the government’s help to young families(35% of mortgage compensation and it’ a 2% credit, if I recal correctly) many of them can’t afford to take credit for a new apartment, as those are overpriced af. And apartments in old buildings aren’t sold that often.
So, if you’re renting and work bottom of the barrel unqualified jobs, your budget is probably airtight and you have a credit or two. Starting a family would be near impossible under those conditions if not for subsidies. In some regions young families can get partial compensation of rent, if they can’t afford mortgage even with help, there is some money young mothers get and separate benefits for families with three children and up.
If you work a good unqualified job(you know, stuff that may require some experience in specific things, but no higher education) and don’t have to rent, stuff it’s already not bad. Qualified jobs can varry wildly.
Public transportation is good and universal healthcare is still kicking, even though there is defeinitely someone slowly choking it, so that helps.
But speaking of government workers, teachers and doctors get overworked and underpayed af. See the earlier comment about someone choking healthcare.
Poverty is there. Yay for capitalism. But it helps that if you own a living space, it’s pretty hard to lose it. You kinda have to try.
Since UR and Putin stabilized shit after the 90’s, it’s been a “we don’t make your life difficult, you don’t care what we do otherwise” sort of relationship. Since now the government has to make people’s life didfficult in certain ways, more and more people are becoming increasingly politically conscious at least. No party for “red” workers to rally behind though. CPRF isn’t very well trusted.